Second Halves
by PandratheFirst
Summary: It's too quiet one night on the Argo II, and Leo gets spooked by an unwanted guest. They offer the crew a glimpse of their futures. The story of how Percy and Nico fared after the end of The Heroes of Olympus. The story of how Percy and Nico grew up and eventually find their other half.
1. Chapter 1

The Argo II flew through over the clouds. Beneath the decks Leo could feel the gears and cogs moving as they should, slowly urging them toward Greece. Above him, stars and a half moon shone bright. The wind encouraged them east.

No one was on watch, each hidden away in their respective cabins, dreaming of prophecies and destinies.

The night was still.

For once Leo stood will out moving a muscle, listening, waiting, for something to happen. How could it be this quiet? He hesitantly placed one foot in front of the other, as he took the largest hammer he could summon from the tool belt. His half-blood senses were tingling.

"I know someone's there!" He shouted.

Silence permeated the night. He lifted the hammer and brought fire to his other hand.

"Come out!"

Festus snorted as he turned his head to him. Leo slowly lowered the hammer but kept his palm lit. He sighed.

"I don't know Festus, maybe this quest is making me paranoid. Tio Leo needs a siesta. Especially since he's talking to a mechanical dragon in third person."

"I agree."

"Crud." Leo'd jinxed it. He whirled around blazing fire and swinging the hammer, but they caught it midair and simply tossed it aside. With their other hand they stopped his left fist. They held it above his head as the flames were slowly engulfed.

"Crud." Leo repeated.

The figure was tall and hooded, obscuring their face. The cloak was shifting and swirling black and white, mixing and separating.

Leo tried to wrench his hand away. But they just squeezed harder.

"The gods would condemn me to Tartarus if they knew it was I who intervened with their chess game. So, I was never here." The voice was genderless, disguised as much as the rest of them. They raised a finger to the emptiness of their hood, like they were telling Leo to shush.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Stupid Leo! Shout for help, you idiot demigod! But that was all that escaped his lips, like this god or goddess wanted him to ask it.

I am someone who is tired of seeing other gods laugh at the mortals who provide their amusement. Your hopes, your dreams, your love, your FATE."

Amen to that, Leo thought. They release Leo's hand.

"I want to offer you... Clarity."

Hooray for the dramatic pause. "Great! Are you going to tell us what the prophecy means?"

The figure waved a hand like the Great Prophecy, the words that had controlled his entire life and his mother's death, meant nothing.

"Good always triumphs over evil. No, I am here to spare the Seven from the mismatched future that is before you."

"Huh?"

"Specifically the two on a path of heartbreak and sorrow. And to assure those of you who are on the correct paths. I am here to offer you..."

Holy Hades, this immortal loved the dramatic pauses.

"Your other halves. Remember them. Fight for them. And know that love comes in many forms and follows many roads."

The figure lifted a hand and placed it on his forehead. Leo's vision faded out.

* * *

><p>Percy was back in the Styx. The boiling pain seared his flesh, and entered him mind. His past began leaving him. His mother, Grover, Chiron, Annabeth, Luke, Tyson, Thalia, Bianca, Paul, the Battle for Olympus, Hazel, Frank, Jason, Piper and Leo. All of them whispered familiar words in his ear, and then the memories melted away. The river began to tug his soul away from his body.<p>

PERCY, someone shouted from above the water. Concentrate on your mortal point!

Something kept him from being swept down the river. A firm grip on the back of his shirt.

Suddenly Annabeth stood in front of him on the end of the rickety old pier in the lake of Camp Halfblood. She was smiling, and bent down on the edge of the pier to help him out.

Annabeth wore her Yankee's cap, which should have made her invisible.

"You are such an idiot sometimes!" She said laughing. She retracted the hand she had offered to help him out of the water to her Yankees cap.

Annabeth's figure flickered like bad reception.

"You are such an idiot sometimes!" She repeated. This time it seemed dull and orchestrated, like a line from a bad movie.

She took off the hat.

"You are such an idiot sometimes!"

This time the voice wasn't Annabeth's. Instead of blond hair tumbling from the confines of the hat, short dark brown curls fell into dark eyes.

"You are such an idiot sometimes!" It was a boy's.

The boy slowly melted into existence, beginning from the top of Annabeth's image and revealed the person underneath. An aviator's jacket, skull t-shirt, and a skull ring.

He gripped Percy's hand and hauled him out of the water. Olive skin mixed with light tan and lithe muscled arms. He had faded rings under his warm brown eyes. They glittered with his smile. He was gorgeous.

Nico?

* * *

><p>Percy threw himself out of bed. He didn't know why, but he needed to find Annabeth. He swung open the door and immediately turned around.<p>

"Whoa! Guys!"

Jason and Piper were making out in front of her room. Piper giggled as Jason's fingers found the bottom of her shirt and she found his."

"Real happy for you guys, BUT THERE'S A ROOM RIGHT BEHIND YOU!"

Jason and Piper stumbled in still locked at the lips and slammed the door behind them. There was a loud thunk against the door.

Percy rolled his eyes as he turned left to Annabeth's room, but almost ran into Frank and Hazel, kissing passionately with their arms wrapped around each other.

"Seriously! Get a room!"

Frank leapt back and looked like he wanted to turn into a sheep. Hazel grabbed his wrist and led him into his bedroom.

"What is with everyone?"

Percy ran the couple of steps to Annabeth's room.

"Annabeth?!"

"I'm up here!" Her voice was coming from on deck.

He bolted up the stairs, and saw Annabeth kneeling next to a melancholy Leo.

"What happened and why are there four people going at it below decks?"

Annabeth was patting Leo's back. "I'm not sure. Leo says that a hooded god appeared and didn't want to kill/sacrifice any of us. But he has yet to finish."

Percy sat down next to them. Annabeth kept her gaze fully on Leo.

"Come on Leo, what happened next?" Annabeth coaxed.

"Um... So a hooded figure appeared, swirling cloak in black and white. And it said it wanted to help us.

"It?" Percy asked.

"Yeah, I think was a god or a goddess. They said if the gods knew they had come they would be condemned to Tartarus. It said it wanted to give us clarity."

"About the prophecy." Annabeth guessed.

Leo shook his head and continued. "They said that they were tired of the other gods using us as amusements and they were going to offer us our second halves. And that we have to fight for them and know that love comes in many forms and follows many roads." As he finished he looked at Annabeth for an explanation and Percy followed his gaze.

Her jaw had fallen open and her eyes were slowly widening. Finally she snapped her jaw shut and glared at Leo. "No! That can't be it! You're lying!" She shouted at Leo and shoved him backwards so he landed on his back.

The son of Hephaestus cringed. "I'm not!"

"Annabeth! What is it?!" Percy grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. She met his eyes for a moment then tore her eyes away. He cheeks burned.

"Plato. Plato said in the Symposium, that according to Greek mythology, humans were originally created with four arms and four legs and a head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate beings, condemning them to spend their lives in search for their other halves. Of course none of that really happened, but that's not the point. The idea of a second halve is the ancient Greek version of a soul mate."

Percy's brow furrowed. He looked away from Annabeth to the floor of the deck.

"That's what they revealed to us... But, Percy." She looked up at him and he met her eyes. "I didn't dream about you."

Percy released her shoulders.

"I did... But you turned into..." Nico? No he wasn't going to say that. "Someone else."

Calm swallowed up the early morning, like everything knew better than to make a sound.


	2. Chapter 2: The Second Halves

Reyna glowered into the flames. The fawn- Coach Hedge- had woken her up to keep watch what seemed like an eternity ago, which, in reality, had only been thirty-seven minutes.

They had to be somewhere in France, she decided. She had walked a short distance from the campsite earlier, and seen a couple of road signs. They weren't in Spanish, and judging by the spelling, it seemed probable that they were now in France.

The air was cold, but the cold she knew was fleeting, like every summer night in California.

Left to the fire, the coach bleated in his sleep and turned on his side. Behind him, the proud Athena Parthenos seemed to glare at her, cursing her and all Romans for her plight, especially Bellona.

She shifted her back to the statue.

On the right, Nico di Angelo slept with his back to her, legs tucked up to his chest.

He had collapsed as soon as she had untied him from the statue, not even waiting for Coach Hedge's cucumber and jelly sandwiches. Understandable, since the Coach wasn't exactly a gourmet chef.

Reyna stared at the back of his head, conjuring his face in her mind. He was so tortured for someone so young. Dark lines showed his typical lack of sleep and his faintly emaciated features. His irises were so brown they were practically black. And though he couldn't have been younger than fourteen, his eyes were from another age.

She had never really asked who he was aside from his godly parentage, and why the hell he had the right to come and go as he pleased. It hadn't been necessary at the time, for Jason had been missing, and there had been a huge surge of demigods entering the camp that no one could explain.

"No!"

Reyna jerked her eyes open. She'd almost fallen asleep, but a soft cry had permeated the darkness and the relative silence the trees provided.

Nico was trembling, quivering ever so slightly. Reyna slowly rose from her stump and approached him.

"NO!" he cried, much louder this time.

She flinched back.

"No. Don't- don't let-!"

"Di Angelo." As she spoke she kneeled next to him and touched his shoulder.

"Don't let go!"

"DI ANGELO." She shook him.

"PERCY!"

"NICO!" Reyna screamed.

Nico jolted upright. His eyes were blood-shot and desperate, his breathing heavy.

"Nico." Sighing in relief, she placed a hand on his thin back. "It was just a dream."

He tried to control his breathing, which only served to make it ragged, uneven.

"...Yeah. Just a dream," he agreed.

Reyna retracted her hand and sat down next to Nico. He tensed.

"Do you need to talk about it?" She asked, bracing herself. She had never been good at dealing with other people's feelings, just at controlling her own.

"_No_," he snapped.

"Okay, okay. Are you alright? That dream seemed intense."

He hesitated a second before insisting he was indeed, fine.

"Okay." She pushed herself up and walked back to her stump.

Nico's breathing became more even. He closed his eyes and dropped his head in his hands. He examined her out of the corner of his eye and Reyna pretended not to notice.

"Can I ask you a question?" Nico said cautiously. "And can you not ask my why I'm asking?"

She glanced at him. "That depends on the question."

"Then nevermind." Nico zipped his jacket up under his chin.

The wind softly rustled the leaves. Some strands of hair from her bangs fell in her face and Reyna raised a hand to push them behind her ear. Her braid hung over her left shoulder and had begun to come undone, so she pulled the hair tie out, running her fingers through to comb it as much as possible.

"You know what?" Nico declared, throwing his hands up in complete frustration and then brought his fists down on his knees.

Reyna stopped combing her hair to look up at him from her messy locks.

"I'm done with being afraid of what you might think of me, I'm asking anyway." He paused, searching for the correct words.

"How... How can I get over... um... Having a, uh..." He inhaled deeply before continuing in a rush: "Having a crush on someone who I know doesn't like me back?"

Reyna smiled in amusement at the complete idiocy that _this_ was the question that he was asking. Then, after a couple of seconds of searching for an answer, her thoughts drifted to blond hair and blue eyes, and she found she didn't have one, and the smile faded.

Percy. Nico had shouted for Percy.

He was staring intently at her, and she met his eyes.

"I'll let you know when I figure it out." She pursed her lips and went back to braiding her hair.

"How long have you known you would never be together? Nico whispered after several minutes.

"I would, uh, rather not talk about it." Reyna said as she tied off the end of the braid. She leaned closer to the fire and rubbed her arms through her jacket.

"The Argo II, huh?"

Reyna let out a shaky exhale, trying to subdue any loose strands of emotions. "No, I had known long before them. -Then-" She corrected quickly. "Long before then. You?"

Nico crossed his arms over his chest. "Always."

"So... Jackson, huh?

Nico tensed.

"It's okay, I have a sister who's an Amazon. It basically implies bisexuality."

He still didn't relax. "How did you _know_."

"You screamed his name in your dream."

He ran his fingers through his bangs, letting his forehead rest on his palm. "Who was it for you?"

Reyna thought about lying, or just refusing to answer, but it didn't seem fair that she knew his secrets. "Jason."

Nico snorted. "Of course it's him."

Reyna almost smiled. "I could say the same thing to you Di Angelo."

He grinned, but it faded after a second. Nico's eyes followed the sparks of the fire into the night sky and as they winked out of existence, his eyes resting on the Athena Parthenos.

"Do you wonder why we weren't chosen? To be in the seven. Why was it Hazel, Leo, Frank, Jason and Percy, and not _us_?"

She liked how he said 'us' and 'we' instead of just 'you' and 'I', like they weren't alone in their frustrations.

"I don't know. Hazel was chosen, so why not you, right? I can fight just as well as Frank and Jason, even without the flying and lightning and shape shifting. I think it all comes back to the gods love theatrics, and, they love to play favorites."

Suddenly, Nico got up, and sliced his sword through the fire sending sparks and flecks of wood flying.

Reyna flinched.

The black sword went flying off into the night, and Nico screamed at the top of his lungs. His hands clawed in his hair.

Coach Hedge snored once and scratched his furry hindquarters, but remained asleep.

"I'm so FREAKING tired of my life being controlled by a bunch of gods who think they know me! My father used me to try and control a prophecy! My SISTER died because of a stupid quest! And I run because of-!" He cut himself off.

"And I try to get her back, and _everyone_ tells me it's wrong! Even Bianca! And she didn't even know why I _needed_ her back!

"-THEN I help save Olympus and WHAT'S my reward? I get to watch as- as..." Nico's voice stuttered to a halt as his shoulders fell. Then he threw his hands in the air and started pacing as he continued ranting.

"THEN he just VANISHES off the face of the Earth, and when I find him, all he remembers is HER! And I get stuck in a stupid _JAR_!

"NOW they want me to lug a damn statue across the Atlantic to save their butts! And it's not like we're going to be 'the Heroes of Olympus' or anything! No! _That_ stupid title is going to the 'seven perfect children' and we're just going to have to just watch as they live their stupid perfect lives and we get nothing!" He finally collapsed back in his spot to her right, breathing heavily.

Reyna studied Nico. She noticed how he a just flown right past any mention of Tartarus.

After a minute or two of the silence, she spoke. "You're _right_ it's not fair. The gods need to get their heads out of their asses and see that."

Nico's eyebrows flew up as he glanced at her.

She leaned forward placed a hand on his. "But think about it Nico. We aren't doing this for the gods. We're doing this for who we love, Hazel and Camp Jupiter and..." She sighed. "You know. If we love them this much, then maybe one day-"

"Don't even go there." Nico pushed away her hand and pointed a finger accusingly at her face. "There is no way they could ever love us." Nico lowered his hand, staring at her, and daring her to challenge him.

She glared at Nico. Reyna got the feeling he wasn't including Jason in that sentence. "I was going to _say_, that if we love them this much, then maybe one day someone will love us as much as we do them."

At this Nico lowered his gaze. Then he got up abruptly and said "I'm going to get more firewood." His voice broke at the end of the sentence.


	3. Chapter 3

Percy leaned over the railing of the Argo II, the sea below glistening in pinks and golds as the sun rose in the east.

Just hours before, he'd had a dream telling him that Annabeth wasn't who he was meant to be with. That everything - saving Olympus, going to Camp Jupiter, Tartarus - was done for nothing, something that wouldn't last.

Seconds after her explanation, Annabeth had broken down, and began screaming at Leo and cursing up at the night sky, until Percy had dragged her into her room and made sure she fell asleep.

Annabeth had never been as broken as he had seen her then, even in Tartarus, when she kept him alive, and he kept her alive. They could rely on each other, because they were certain of their love. Even then, she always seemed stronger than him, like she could never break, at least, not like that.

But then, some god had to come in and screw everything up, -as usual- and give Percy all these conflicting thoughts that made him feel like he had done everything for a lie.

Percy hated Aphrodite. He hated the god or goddess that made him feel like this, he hated the gods for their quarrels and ridiculous disagreements that always got them stuck in the middle. But, mostly he hated himself for letting the gods do to this to him.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain," a voice quavered.

Percy jumped. To his left stood Annabeth, clutching the same railing, staring into the dawn with him.

"Hey," he answered, leaning back against the railing. "You doing okay?"

She released a heavy sigh. "Better. I'm sorry for kicking you."

"I'm sorry for locking you in your room," he replied.

"It's alright," She said, smiling. "Thank you for unlocking it."

"Anytime."

He looked at the daughter of Athena. Her hair, usually pulled back into a ponytail, was braided down her left shoulder.

"You- you braided your hair." Percy observed.

Annabeth looked at the braid. "Yeah. I thought I'd try it. I'm not sure how I like it."

"It looks nice."

"You think so?" she asked, tugging at the end.

"Yeah." he told her honestly.

In the distance, a couple of islands came into focus.

"Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"I did some thinking while I was in my room."

"You're always thinking."

"Percy, really. We need to discuss this."

He sighed, and turned to meet her eyes. "You're right."

Annabeth's light grey eyes searched his green ones. "I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either." he confessed. "Whatever they showed us might just be a trick, or even an actual dream, I guess."

Annabeth shook her head. "I already thought of that. Why would they show Piper and Jason, Hazel and Frank each other, and not us? And even Leo said he saw someone who he's in love with. Why are we the only ones that didn't see each other? It doesn't make sense unless they were showing us the truth. And why would just tricking us make any sense, unless they were tricking all of us... Or, for all we know it may be something from Tartarus... I mean-" she sighed, trying to collect her thoughts. "It is completely possible that they are tricking us, so, why don't we pretend like this never happened?

"But," Percy said, "What's the point if we know we'll never end up together?"

"That's just it Percy we don't know that. It could be an enormous practical joke or a monster or a million other possibilities, but what's the point of speculating if we just don't know, and we never really will, no matter how long we dwell on it?"

"And anyway, if everything we saw is true, are we going to let ourselves be controlled by a god? If we break up now, we'll always blame that god. If we stay together, despite what they told us, even if we eventually break up, then it won't matter what they told us, because it will be our choice, not some god's. And we will choose for ourselves if we don't belong together."

Percy took a second to process everything she just said. "What about the person we saw in our visions?" He finally asked.

Annabeth pursed her lips together. "Are you in love with whomever you saw?"

An image of Nico shoving Percy away came to his mind. "No."

"Neither am I. I'm in love with you, Percy, and if I somehow fall in love with someone else someday, I have to stop loving you like I do now. And currently I don't see that happening."

Percy smiled. "I love you too, Annabeth."

They kissed, wrapping their arms around each other to make sure they were real. They pulled away to stare into the other's eyes.

"So, do you agree?" She asked.

"Completely. Just-" he said, looking down. "Annabeth, if - if - we break up, once we get over all the shit, can we still be friends?"

"Of course, Seaweed Brain! After all, someone has be there to save your butt!" she crossed her arms over her chest proudly.

"I can save my own butt just fine, thanks!"

"Whatever you say, Seaweed Brain!" Annabeth laughed.

"Hey! Do you want me to go back to calling you 'Wise Girl?'" Percy threatened.

"Only if you want me to kick your butt again!" she threatened right back.

"We were twelve! I could SO take you now!"

"Want to put your money where your big mouth is?" Anna grinned, rolling up her sleeves.

"Oh, it is on!"


	4. Chapter 4

A lone half-blood sat on the edge of a pier looking out on the Long Island Sound. It was early morning and the fog was thick and heavy around him. His legs dangled off into the icy waters, but Percy didn't feel the bite of the cold.

On the opposite side of the country, another demigod couldn't sleep. Silent as an owl, she crept out of her dorm, closing the door behind her as to not awaken the Oracle sleeping in the bottom bunk. She made her way down the stairs and into the empty, night air. For a city, it was amazingly silent at night, and she began to wander the streets undisturbed.

It had been three years since the fall of Gaia and the unification of two civilizations long at arms with each other. Their friends had moved on, beginning their lives in New Rome, a machine shop on the outskirts of New York, or completing high school in a boarding school in San Francisco. Annabeth remained with them, but Percy had returned to Camp Halfblood.

_"You need to stop depending on me for your future Percy! I can't give you whatever you're looking for. Go and make your own life and stop trying to find it through me!" Annabeth's last words rang through their heads to the echoing and refusing to cease their clattering._

They should have seen it coming. Their love, built in the bad times, had begun to depend on those times to keep them together. When there was finally no more wars, the raging spark subsided and couldn't sustain itself. It had taken them two years to finally admit out loud that they couldn't stay together. Annabeth couldn't admit it because she didn't want to give up. She thought that she could keep them together, she needed to prove their love could outdo the predictions of a god. Percy didn't want to hurt her by leaving. Their fatal flaws kept them together almost too long to salvage a friendship from the wreckage.

Annabeth was wandering the streets of New Rome in the florescent light of the street lamps, trying not to be confused.

"Hey."

Annabeth jumped. She wasn't one to startle easily, the exception evidently a former Praetor.

Annabeth grinned and shook her head. "Gods Reyna! What are you doing up?"

Reyna was dressed in a heavy purple jacket, grey sweatpants and black boots. Her braid had fuzzy bits of hair sticking out, and her bangs stuck up at various acute angles.

"I could ask you the same question," Reyna laughed. She shrugged, still smiling. "I used to walk around camp when I couldn't sleep. I didn't think I'd catch any campers out past curfew like I used to, but here you are!"

Annabeth couldn't help but smile even wider. "Really? What are you going to do? Report me?"

"I'll let you get off this time _graecus_."

"What about next time?" Annabeth asked and turned to continue down the street. Reyna followed alongside her.

"Next time? I'll knock you out to make you go to sleep."

"You think you can knock me out? You're hilarious." Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"I would be able to do it with my hands bound behind my back." Reyna proclaimed to the night air.

Annabeth snorted. "You'd have your dogs do it for you then."

"I'm insulted that you think I wouldn't be able to do it alone."

"Then how would you do it?"

"Stay in Camp Jupiter long enough Chase, maybe I'll tell you."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Reyna grinned, and Annabeth turned her head to hide her smile.

They strolled in silence, both Annabeth and Reyna choosing their turns at random.

"So why _are_ you wandering the streets of New Rome at 3 am?" Reyna finally asked.

Annabeth sighed and a puff of heat hit the cold night air, making her breath steam. She looked up at the stars as she walked, not caring is she crashed into a fire hydrant or tripped over a crack. "I haven't slept well in years. Sometimes it's dreams, but I'm mostly just too confused or too preoccupied with thinking to sleep."

Reyna nodded. "About Percy?"

Annabeth looked back down. "No. Well, partially. Percy and I are over. But yes, he can make it confusing at times. Mostly I'm confused about a dream I had... Years ago."

"Anything I can help with?" Reyna asked, nudging Annabeth's shoulder, and Annabeth tried to hide her smile spreading across her lips again.

"Of course." _Mom will hate a Roman child of Bellona more than she ever hated a child of Poseidon. _"Maybe if you stick around long enough Ramírez-Arellano-"

Reyna rolled her eyes at Annabeth's use of her full hyphenated name.

"-I'll tell you."

**Months later...**

_"I... I like you Percy."_

_Percy didn't say anything. Just kept his eyes locked on the swaying grass of Half Blood hill._

_"I... More than like you."_

_"Nico..."_

_"No. Percy listen, please. I'm not telling you so you can tell me you're straight, or whatever. I'm telling you for me. I'm telling you because if I don't, I can't admit who I am and move on. I just needed you to hear me. Okay?"_

_Percy's eyes didn't move from their place on the grass. You're such an idiot sometimes. Beautiful brown eyes stared into him, but Percy didn't move his gaze from the grass, refusing to look at the son of Hades' eyes. _

_"Okay, Nico."_

Percy had been sitting on the edge of the pier for hours, his calves dangling in the salty ocean water, just staring at the horizon line and waiting for the sun.

He wasn't tired, his mind was working and running through the past three years, the last month, and the dream. He went through every detail like he did every morning, reran every word Annabeth had ever said, he had said, Nico ever said.

Percy didn't know what to do. He could go to college in New Rome, but Annabeth was there, and Nico, and everyone else. He was the only one left at Camp Halfblood. Everyone had moved on.

Annabeth was still going to college in New Rome. Jason, Piper, Frank, Rachel and even Reyna were attending with her. Apparently Hazel and Nico would be applying or something. He wasn't sure. His mind had begun to wander as soon as soon as Nico's name was mentioned.

Percy was confused. He was trying to find something to hold onto at Camp Halfblood, but even Chiron was slowly inching him out, telling him he couldn't find what he was looking for with teenagers.

"Hey Seaweed Brain."

Percy looked up at Annabeth standing next to him in a big purple jacket, jeans and sneakers. Her blonde hair braided down her shoulder. He hadn't heard her come up the creaky pier.

"Hi Annabeth. What are you doing here?"

"Chiron."

"Oh."

Percy looked back out over the ocean, and Annabeth sat down next to him with her legs crossed.

"Percy, what are _you_ still doing here?" she asked. "What are you waiting for?"

"I don't know."

_"Percy."_

"I don't know Annabeth. Really."

Annabeth sighed. "You really don't."

"I really don't," Percy huffed and tried to grin.

"Are you waiting for the person in your dream? Your second half?"

"Maybe." Percy shrugged. "I don't know."

"Gods, you should start thinking about that Seaweed Brain."

"I am."

They sat in silence for awhile, as the waves lapped Percy's calves and Annabeth sat huddled in the purple jacket.

"I need to tell you something," Annabeth finally said as the clouds began to turn a lighter shade of black.

"Shoot." Percy wiggled his toes under the water.

"I saw Reyna."

Percy looked at her.

"In my dream, on the Argo II, I saw Reyna. It was strange. I barely knew her, Jason told me her name, you introduced us and we were in the Argo II for little awhile, but I had a dream telling me we were destined to complete each other. It was... Confusing and frustrating. I didn't know if I really wanted to be with her. But since we've been attending college together, I... She's... Amazing. She's beautiful and intelligent, and she just, she understands. Not that you didn't, it's just different.

"She asked me to dinner," she finished carefully.

Percy turned back to the water.

"I said yes. I'm so happy Percy, I can't fully explain it. I know we're going to be together forever, and it's not just what some imbecile god said, it's just _us._ I don't know what's going to happen, just that we'll be together. I'm happy." Annabeth had a such a broad, dreamy smile on that Percy couldn't help but grin a bit.

"I'm happy for you two." Percy said.

"Really?" Annabeth stared at him.

"Really." And of course he meant it.

"Good." Annabeth moved her leg and began to untie her shoes. "So why are you still here Percy?"

"I-"

"Guess if you don't know." She set her left sneaker behind them and rolled up her jeans.

"I..." Percy hesitated. "I don't want to go to college with everyone."

And for once, Percy managed to surprise Annabeth. "Why?"

"I don't-"

"Shut up Percy," Annabeth snapped and dropped her left foot in the water. "Stop trying to spare my feelings. Why don't you want to go to school with us?"

"I... I don't want to be 'Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon.' I just want to be 'Percy Jackson.' I don't want to be stuck with the same people for the rest of my life just because people feel like they need to treat me differently, or they can't be my friend."

Annabeth snorted as she dropped her second foot into the water. "Look at the sudden ego on you."

"I- I didn't mean it-"

"I'm joking, and I get it. I hate it when people just think of me as your girlfriend, even when we're not together anymore. It's been nice, not being around you - not for the reasons you think - but, I'm 'Annabeth Chase, One of the Seven' or 'Architect of Olympus' now, and not 'Annabeth Chase, Girlfriend of Percy Jackson.' I didn't realize it, but I hated being just an appendage of you to everyone.

"You feel like that with all of us, I can't be offended if that's how I feel as well. And it's nice to see you being honest about what _you_ want for once." Annabeth splashed Percy's leg, and he smiled.

"Yeah."

"So what do you want Percy? What's making you stay here with kids who see you as 'a big damn hero?'"

"I..."

"And if you say 'I don't know,' I'm pushing you in," Annabeth threatened.

"That's just it, Annabeth, I don't _want_ to know! But it's like my life is put out in front of me."

Annabeth frowned. "How?"

"I don't know-!"

Annabeth rolled her eyes and shoved him off the pier.

Percy came up spluttering, even though he was, of course, dry. "What the hell Annabeth?"

"I warned you." Annabeth gathered her shoes and socks and started walking down the pier. "Stop pretending like you're an idiot Percy, because we both know you're not!"

"Annabeth-! Wait!" Percy grabbed the edge of the pier and hoisted himself up.

She stopped halfway down the pier. "What?"

"I- I need to tell you something."

"If you push me off the pier, Percy, I swear to gods-"

"I'm not! Annabeth! Just listen to me for once!" Percy shouted.

Annabeth stopped speaking, and walked back to sit on the edge of the dock next to Percy.

"I... I saw Nico," he admitted. "...In the dream and... I don't get it."

Annabeth tried to keep down her smile. She knew it. "Because you don't love him?"

"Because I'm not gay!"

"I think you'd change your mind if you saw Nico now..." Annabeth muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing, sorry."

"It's just, I don't _want_ to be with Nico."

"Obviously," Annabeth nodded.

"And it's not because he's- Wait what?"

"Percy. You're not ready, you may never be ready to be with Nico. You need to forget whatever you saw and just 't worry about ever being Nico's boyfriend. You don't even love him. Get a hobby, get a job, get a girlfriend, get a _boyfriend_ if you want. But don't force yourself to fall in love with anyone. That wouldn't be good."

"Why?"

"Because then my readers will think I forced a straight character to be gay."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Ignore the god's existence for once in your life. Live for you Percy, not for whatever messed up reason you made up. If you don't want to be with us, go to college in New York, or Greece or L.A. or France. Forget us Percy, - well, not completely, come back for Christmas - but do what you want instead of what you think we want you to."

The sky over the Sound was turning to a soft lavender and pastel pink. The clouds had a yellow tinge.

"Thanks Annabeth," Percy sighed and grinned at her.

"Anytime Seaweed Brain." she said, punching his arm and standing up. "Come on, lets go raid the kitchen, I need to eat something."

"Okay." Percy stood up. "So how's everyone in Camp Jupiter?" he asked as they walked down the pier.

"We're fine. Rachel is having her art shown in a coffee shop on Main Street, which is big for her."

"Mm-Hmm," Percy hummed, not really paying attention since they were nearing the sand.

"And Piper changed her major back to psychology again, _this time_ with a minor in-"

Percy pushed Annabeth off the pier and into the shallow waters of the sea.

"Percy!" she shouted. She was up to her knees in cold, getting her jeans salty and wet. Percy just laughed and ran down the rest of the dock. Annabeth threw her shoe at him, but it fell short a couple feet.

"Payback!" he yelled over his shoulder. Annabeth ran after him, scooping up her thrown shoe as she pursued.

"You can't get wet!"

"Doesn't mean it wasn't cold!" Percy laughed as she tried to chase him in the sand.

"You better run Percy!" Annabeth threw her other shoe at him again, and this time it caught him in the back.

Percy fell to the sand like he'd been shot, groaning. "You got me."

"You bet I did," she panted, slowing down next to him.

Percy laughed.

"Come on," she said, offering him a hand. "I really am hungry. And now I need a towel."

"Okay." Percy accepted her hand and she hoisted him up. "So what did Piper change her minor to?"


	5. Check In, with The Son of Hades

Ever since Gaia had been put to sleep, life had gotten better. With Jason's support, Nico had come out of the closet. It sure as Tartarus wasn't easy, and a couple of people still got fidgety or overly cautious around him, but none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered to Nico was that Percy didn't think he was a freak. Especially after Nico told Percy who he'd actually had a crush on for almost four years.

Percy reacted better than Nico had expected. More awkward apology than total loathing and ostracizing. Though they didn't spend time together, Percy understood and didn't bug Nico.

Reyna set him and Hazel up at a boarding school in San Francisco. Annabeth offered tutor them in things they had 'skipped.' It was awkward at first, but Annabeth and Nico needed to spend time together and they both enjoyed it.

They never talked about Percy. They didn't need to.

After freshmen year, Nico hung out at both camps, helping wherever he was needed. And Jason 'encouraged' Nico to socialize: dueling with others, going to mythology classes - even though Nico could give Annabeth a run for her money on Greek History - climbing the rock wall, archery or keeping watch at the entrance to Camp Jupiter. Eventually the Stolls took another personal interest in him after he gambled each of them out of one hundred bucks at their poker game, and the three of them raised all kinds of hell.

Reyna made Nico go to Camp Jupiter once a week that first summer as a sword instructor. While he was there, Hazel forced him to spend to night each time so they could see a movie with Frank and Reyna.

Rachel began giving him art lessons. Not that he was any good, but Rachel told him otherwise, saying that technically there is no such thing as 'good' art, which resulted in an eye roll from Nico, then a smack to the back of his head, and ended in an all-out paint war.

Whenever he could, Nico hung out with Rachel, Leo, Calypso, Jason, or Piper in New Rome. He played Mythomagic with Frank, helped out Chiron around Camp Halfblood, went on quests, played capture the flag, anything but interact with Percy Jackson.

Not that he didn't want to. Percy was constantly appearing in Nico's head, his curved smile and loyal nature. It was just hard to see the Son of Poseidon without Nico's feelings erupt all over again.

Then, one day while he and the Stolls were cleaning out the stables as punishment after a particularly nasty prank on the Ares Cabin, (It took a while for them to rebuild the cabin after it had somehow ended up in the middle of Apollo's poetry slam.) Nico realized he hadn't thought about Percy in days. It made him sad at first, and then the more he thought about it, the more a smile stretched across his face.

Percy continued to come to Nico's mind less and less, and each time the feelings felt less intense and Nico was happy.

* * *

><p>Three Years After the End of the Second Great Prophecy...<p>

Hazel and Nico sat at their usual spots in class, listening to some sleep deprived teenager give a presentation on the relevance of... Nico looked down at his paper. Something to do with science. Hazel was taking notes, he would let her copy his English notes later in exchange.

The bell rang and half the class sighed in relief, it being the last class of the week. People shook their sore hands and gathered up their notes.

"Finally." Nico slung his bag over his shoulder and stood up. "Ready?"

"One minute..." Hazel pocketed her pen in her overalls and stuffed the papers in a folder. Then pulled the backpack straps over her shoulders. "Ready."

"Where do you want to go? Jack's going home for the weekend so I'm free," he asked as they exited the classroom in the crowds.

"...Um, how about Joe's? I'll trade you science notes for english notes?" she offered as they turned toward the coffee shop on the edge of campus.

"You read my mind," Nico smiled. "How was your talk last night with... Piper? Anything interesting back in New Rome?"

"It was Piper," Hazel nodded. "And..." She looked at Nico and narrowed her eyes, biting her tongue to study him.

"What?" Nico frowned. "Did bad something happen?"

"Yes it's bad... Well, I guess it's not bad, it's good, because it was bad because it took too long to happen." Hazel shook her head but didn't lose the look. "I'm just not sure if you're ready to hear this."

"You're not making any sense," Nico laughed.

"Annabeth broke up with Percy."

The smile dropped away and Nico stopped short, but it only took a second to start walking again. "Why?"

"Remember when I told you about that dream I had on the Argo II? The one with Frank?"

"Yeah... Leo was told by some god that you were each other's other halves according to a theory by Aristotle, I think."

They jumped back as a bicyclist swept across their path.

"Watch it!" Hazel shouted after the woman. She squinted as they started walking again. "Where was I... Oh, yeah second halves, right. Well apparently Percy and Annabeth didn't actually see each other. They didn't want their love lives controlled by the gods like everything else has been."

Nico nodded. He knew exactly what that was like, so did Hazel; to have their lives decided for them against their will.

"That sucks," Nico said as they approached the coffee shop.

"You really think so?" Hazel asked.

Nico looked at her. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know," Hazel shrugged. "I thought you might be happy that Percy is single."

"Percy being single doesn't automatically mean he's gay. Or that I'm single," Nico explained as he opened the coffee shop door for Hazel.

"Thank you!" she said and walked in. "I know that doesn't mean he'll suddenly like boys, but who knows?" She got in the long line for coffee.

"Hazel, I'm with Jack."

"Okay," she pouted. But whispered: "But you never know...!"

"Hazel."

"Alright!" she laughed, and Nico couldn't help but smile. "Do you have any money?"

"I have a ten. I think." Nico felt around his jean pockets before pulling out a crusty ten dollar bill. "Yup."

"Can I pay you back later?"

"Sure. Any more news?" Nico asked as they moved up in the line.

"Well, Percy went back to Camp Halfblood, Annabeth is finally officially enrolled at New Rome University. And..." Hazel snapped her fingers. "Piper changed majors."

"I thought she liked psychology!" Nico said.

"Me too, but apparently she wants to study law and Native American History, so she can help protect reservations or something."

"She'll be back to Psychology by the end of the year."

"Wanna bet?"

"Winner pays for coffee for a month."

"Deal."

* * *

><p>By the end of the year...<p>

"...Good morning, Hazel," Nico muttered around a cinnamon bagel with cream cheese. He took the bagel out of his mouth and gave a huge grin to his sister as he slid across her at the picnic bench.

Hazel rolled her eyes and bookmarked her place before shutting the book. "What?"

"Jason iris messaged this morning..."

"Piper's back to psychology, Frank told me, I know," Hazel groaned. She scrunched her nose and glared at her brother. "Happy with yourself?"

"Extremely," Nico laughed.

"Did Jason say why she switched again?"

"No, but he seems happy for her, and terrified for him. I guess she's been trying to psychoanalyze everyone."

Hazel laughed. "So that's what she was doing last night! It was scaring me for awhile! So... what else did you and Jason talk about?"

"Um... He said we need to go to Rachel's art gallery... thing next weekend...?"

"Oh, yeah, Piper and Frank both told me that," Hazel said, taking a bite of her toasted plain bagel with cream cheese. "She's threatened anyone who doesn't go with severe bodily harm. Percy should be there apparently..."

"Yup," Nico nodded, ignoring the Percy comment but remembering it.

"So... Did Jason tell you anything else?" Hazel asked, giving Nico a huge grin.

Nico frowned. "No... What did I miss?"

"Oh my gods I can't believe he didn't tell you!" Hazel scoffed.

"Well, jeez, Hazel, it's not like drachmas grow on trees, and we can't exactly use phones!"

Hazel shrugged and then whined: "I know but still he should have told you THIS!"

"TELL ME WHAT?" Nico demanded leaning forward.

Hazel smiled and let out a small squeal.

"Hazel! What is it!"

"Okay okay okay. Guess who just started... Um, what's the word?"

"I don't know!" Nico threw his hands into the air.

"Well..." Hazel thought for a second. "Oh! Dating! Guess who just started dating!"

"I have no idea," Nico sighed, completely done with this already.

Hazel couldn't stop smiling. "Fine, here's a hint... When was the last time you talked to your old buddy Reyna?"

"A couple of weeks ago... I don't know. We don't need to talk every weekend," Nico shrugged. But when they last talked, Reyna was distracted, and smiley. Reyna was never smiley. When Nico commented on it, she denied it tooth and nail.

Nico grinned. "Okay, Reyna and... Octavian?"

Hazel snorted. "Gods no."

"...Dakota?"

"No!" Hazel took another bite of her bagel and grinned slyly.

"...Percy?"

Hazel burst out laughing. Clutching her stomach, she almost fell back off the bench. Several of their classmates glanced over at them before rolling their eyes to look back at their friends or books.

"No!"

"Okay, FINE!" Nico sighed. "Who is it?"

Hazel bite her bottom lip and giggled for a couple of seconds. "Annabeth."

Nico pulled his head back from the table. "No." He started smiling, he couldn't believe it. Reyna and Annabeth. Especially ANNABETH.

"Yes!" Hazel squealed, nodding.

"Really? Annabeth?"

"YES!" If she wasn't careful her smile was going to split her face in two.

"They're together?"

"Who's together?" a boy slid onto the bench next to Nico and kissed him on the cheek. "Hey babe."

"Hey Jack!" Nico blushed. "Just some old friends of ours."

Hazel took a big bite of her bagel, to hide the fact that her smile had vanished.

"Anyone who goes here?" Jack asked as he set has set a bottle of water and an apple on the picnic table.

"Nope," Nico said, slipping his hand into Jack's under the table.

"Mmkay." Jack used his free hand to start eating his apple. "So what's your first class Nico?"

"It's Thursday, so... Geometry? Right Hazel?"

"Yeah." She stuffed the last of her bagel in her mouth and collected her book. She grabbed the top loop of her backpack. "Sorry, I have to go. I need to meet with Mrs. Sinclair before classes start. See you guys later!"

"Mmkay," Jack said around apple bits.

"Bye Hazel!"

Hazel waved back as she jogged for building B.

"Now that we're alone..." Jack smiled and wrapped a hand around his waist to pull him closer. "How about we skip today? I'll drive us to Pier 39...!"

Nico leaned forward, smiling against Jack's lips. "Sure."

* * *

><p>"Where the hell have you been?" Hazel screamed at Nico after he opened the door to his room Monday morning.<p>

Jason and Reyna glared at him from behind Hazel. At least it was probably Jason and Reyna. Maybe it was Piper, or Annabeth cut her hair...?

Nico groaned and pressed a hand to his forehead, squinting to see better passed the bright lights. His stomach was doing jumping jacks. Nico wanted to laugh - jumping Jacks - but last night crawled a little further up his esophagus and Nico clutched his stomach.

Jason - yup it was Jason, Nico thought - Jason's hand was on Hazel's shoulder, keeping her back, but his other hand was clenched in a tight fist. Reyna's arm's were crossed and her glower was better than Hades'. Hazel's eyes were rimmed in red, and from the empty coffee cups on his desk and the dark rings under her eyes, Nico saw that she hadn't slept for a few days. Her screaming just made his pounding headache worse, and Nico flinched back at her volume.

Ugh, he felt awful. Everything hurt.

"I was in San Francisco," he said to the ground.

"FRIDAY?! AND THEN ALL WEEKEND?!"

Nico cringed. It was too bright in here.

"Yes," Nico snapped. Gods all he wanted to do was collapse in his nice warm bed, which unfortunately, was being blocked by two former praeters.

"Nico, do you know how many times we tried to Iris message you?" Jason demanded.

"I don't know Jason. Shouldn't you've been counting?"

"Nico!" Hazel scolded.

"Nico." Reyna grabbed his shoulders and forced him to look at her. "If you were just in San Francisco, why didn't you call us?"

Nico felt something coming up the wrong direction, and shoved Reyna back before doubling over to wretch in the waste basket by his desk.

Jason cringed and Hazel lept back, but Reyna just turned up her lip and shook her head.

Nico groaned before he got up to push past them. He dumped his bag beside his bed and clambered in, pulling the blankets over his head.

"Nico!" Hazel shouted again.

Reyna sighed. "Come on. We won't get any answers out of him in this state."

"Why not?" Hazel asked at their voices started to retreat.

Before the door slammed shut - which Reyna completely did on purpose - Nico could hear her say: "Because Nico's perfect boyfriend got his underage ass drunk this weekend."

* * *

><p>After Nico took a nap, drank a lot of water, threw up again, emptied his trash, showered, took another nap, he went up to Hazel's room. When he got there, it was just Reyna and Jason sitting on Hazel's bed playing poker until Hazel got out of her last classes.<p>

When Jason looked around and saw who it was, his gaze hardened and he turned back to his pitiful pair of twos.

Reyna didn't even glance up, just continued rearranging her cards. "Hazel says to inform her lummox of a brother that if he doesn't dump his overrated boyfriend by the time she gets back she will personally silent treatment his butt into Tartarus."

"I'm not breaking up with Jack."

Jason didn't turn around, just snapped: "And why the hell not?"

Reyna looked up at Nico, just waiting for him to say it.

"Because I-"

"Because you love him?" she finished, smirking. She laid down her cards in front of Jason. "Full house."

"-YES, and because he loves me!"

"You're not in love with Jack." Jason threw down his cards down in exasperation from losing for the third time, and Nico's stupidity.

"How would you know that Jason?" Nico snapped, crossing his arms and leaning back on the doorframe.

"Because I know you Nico, you wouldn't have gotten drunk unless you were pressured by someone like Jack. If he loved you he wouldn't've put you in that situation! Did he offer you the alcohol?"

The bell rang in the distance.

"Hazel will be back soon," Nico told them.

"Nico," Reyna said, kicking herself up from the bed. "You just want someone else to love you, and you're willing to do ridiculous shit to get them to love you back. It didn't work with Percy, and Jack is just using that side of you because he can see you're vulnerable."

Nico tensed and looked down at the ground. "You don't know that," he whispered fiercely.

Jason swung his legs off the bed. "We do know Nico," he insisted. "Did you want to call Hazel? Did Jack tell you not to?"

"NO," Nico lied, glaring at Jason, but his lower lip quivered.

"Really?" Reyna snapped, crossing her arms again. "Then where was Jack when you were about to fall over from veisalgia? Huh?"

Nico frowned and Jason cocked his head.

"Gods, sometimes I forget I'm not talking to girls," Reyna sighed. "Hungover!"

Nico looked away. "He was going back to his room! We both weren't feeling well."

Jason snorted: "I'd be scared of Hazel too, if I was him."

"True," Reyna conceided. "But my point is, he shouldn't have let you face her alone, especially if it was his fault you were intoxicated to begin with!"

"And how did you get back?" Jason suddenly added. "Did he drive you back?"

Nico didn't answer.

"He drove you back when he was drunk?!" Jason sat down on Hazel's bed and Reyna clenched her jaw.

Behind him, the knob turned and the door pushed open, forcing Nico to stumble forward.

"Good. You're here," Hazel snapped. She dumped her school supplies next to the door and turned to Reyna, pointedly ignoring Nico. "Reyna, did you tell him?"

"Of course."

"And?" Hazel prompted as she removed her shoes.

"He's in love with Jack," Reyna said, staring at Nico.

"Fine. Tell Nico I'm not speaking to him until he apologizes for being stupid and not calling me. Just to tell me he's SAFE and not killed by some monster or off on some quest. Then he breaks up with Jack because he got a minor intoxicated."

"Nico," Reyna said slowly.

Nico rolled his eyes.

Jason slapped his hand to his forehead. "I can't believe I'm missing classes for this," he muttered.

"Hazel would like you to know that she's not going to talk to you until you apologizes for being stupid and not calling her. Just to tell her you're safe-"

"I got it, Reyna," Nico said.

Reyna smirked and kept on going. "And not killed by some monster or off on some quest. Then you break up with Jack because he got you - a minor - intoxicated."

"Thank you Reyna." Hazel nodded, then purposefully, stepped in front of Nico so her back was to him. "Do you guys want dinner? I'll pay since you came down here, even though it turned out to be a giant waste of time when someone could have just called his sister and let her know he was alive, instead of getting drunk off his skinny underage butt."

Reyna shrugged and picked up her duffel bag and jacket. "I'm in. Jason? Something to eat before we hit the road?"

Jason still had his head in his hands at the complete ridiculousness of what was happening. "Gods yes." He grabbed his backpack and sweatshirt, and practically ran out the door.

"Reyna, please tell Nico he's not invited," Hazel politely requested as she followed Jason outside.

Reyna grinned. "Nico-"

"I got it!"

* * *

><p>Two days later, Nico sat in his usual spot in English by the window, but Hazel was sitting next to Tom and Christina. She was taking this shunning thing pretty seriously, even going so far as to leave her room early to miss Nico knocking on her door to pick her up so they could get coffee or hot chocolate like they always did.<p>

Nico could feel Hazel's glare on the back of his neck, but he kept his eyes locked on the video on Romanticism the teacher was playing.

He still felt a little nauseous, but maybe it was the fact that he hadn't eaten in almost two days, or Hazel ignoring him, or not seeing Jack since yesterday morning.

Nico rubbed his eyes. He wasn't sure what to do. True, Jack had offered him the beer, but Jack wasn't the only one drinking, and Nico was the only person who wasn't, so why not? It wasn't as fun as Jack said it was, sure, and it definitely wasn't worth the next day, but he was with Jack.

The bell rang, and people started to collect their things.

Nico slumped over his desk and groaned. Maybe Reyna was right, as usual, maybe he did want to be loved too much and he was willing to crazy stuff to get their attention. He needed to call Annabeth, or maybe Piper. But since Reyna and Jason had been there, they probably wouldn't be so unbiased. Then... Rachel, he should call Rachel.

Nico sighed and dragged himself out of the desk, and trailed behind his classmates to History.

This was going to be a long day.

* * *

><p>A couple hours later, everyone was heading for the cafeteria for lunch, Nico ran back to his room. As soon as he got in and dumped his stuff in the corner, he rummaged through his top drawer for a spare drachma. After he found one in his pencil case, he grabbed his flashlight and ran for the bathroom. He opened the window to let the light in, turned the flashlight on and set it in the windowsill. Then he turned on the shower, and the light hit the perfectly so that the combined light from the window and the flashlight created perfect rainbow.<p>

Nico stepped back and tossed the coin throw the mist.

"Iris, goddess of the rainbow, show me Rachel Dare."

The rainbow shimmered and suddenly music was blaring through the mist. Rachel was standing in her apartment in front of a blank aisle and canvas, rocking back and forth to some screaming alternative band.

"Rachel!" Nico shouted.

Rachel turned and saw him. She raised an eyebrow and held up a finger, then she disappeared from the mist and the music shut off.

"If it isn't our resident delinquent!" she smiled as she reappeared. "What's up Nico?"

Nico looked down. "Hazel won't talk to me."

"I heard," Rachel nodded and turned to her canvas. "But I also heard it sounds like you deserve it a little bit."

Nico grimaced. "Yeah."

"She's just looking out for you." Rachel got some blue paint on her brush and lifted it up to the canvas before hesitating.

"I know."

"Did you call just to talk about Hazel?" She dragged the blue across the page and stepped back.

"No, I need advice on what to do about Jack."

Rachel sighed and she set her brush and palette down "Well this painting doesn't seem to want anything else right now. This is going to be a long one, so in the mean time, what advice do you want about Jack?"

Nico rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know. I just don't know what to do..."

"You want to break up with him, but you don't want to look like you're giving into what Hazel wants?" Rachel asked, cleaning her brush in a jar.

"Um..." Nico frowned. "No. I don't want to break up with him..."

"Yeah, I think you do." Rachel smiled.

"No," Nico insisted, "I don't."

"Do you even have anything in common aside the fact that you both like boys?" Rachel asked, raising an eyebrow.

Nico opened his mouth to snap yes, but he froze, his mind reminding him of all the times they had disagreed on what to do or what movie to watch, or even who to hang out with.

"No, but that doesn't matter."

Rachel nodded "You're right, but do you fight about what you don't have in common, or have you just let him get what he wants because you don't want to fight?"

"Yeah..."

"So are you sure you don't just want to be in love with Jack?"

Nico looked at his toes.

"See?" Rachel said, wiping the paint off her hands. "I think you just want what Hazel has with Frank, and Jason has with Piper, Leo has with Calypso, and - I think - Reyna has with Annabeth, so you're willing to put up with this jackass-" Rachel paused and then laughed.

"Jack-ass," she muttered.

Nico chuckled and tried not to smile.

"-You're willing to put up with this jerk who doesn't deserve you and just wants to get in your pants," Rachel finished.

"Yeah," Nico nodded, remembering Jack's habit of wandering hands.

"It's not like you won't find whatever you're looking for. Reyna did, and she's three or four years older than you. Percy and Annabeth took years to admit they didn't work, and look how that almost turned out. Just take your time Nico. Just because because they set the bar super freaking high, for the rest of the world doesn't mean you have to fall in love with the first person you meet...

"So dump his ass before he gets what he wants!" Rachel's face went blank for a second, then she burst out laughing.

"What?" Nico asked, confused. There wasn't anything funny about what she just said.

She held up a finger but she couldn't stop and eventually she fell out of view, presumably rolling on the floor.

After a couple of minutes she pulled herself back up, still giggling. "You really don't want to know."

"Okay..." Nico said, frowning. "Thanks Rachel, I think."

"You bet your ass thank you," Rachel said, biting back another fit of laughter. "Oh! And you better be at my gallery opening this weekend." She pointed her paint brush at him threateningly. "It's bad enough Percy can't make it anymore..." she growled.

"What?" Nico asked, but the bell rang in the distance, and Rachel's apartment door slammed shut.

From the door, Annabeth shouted: "Rachel? You here?"

"Gotta go!" Rachel said, and waved her hand through the mist.

* * *

><p>The next day Nico arrived at Hazel's room thirty minutes early to catch her leaving. As soon as Hazel opened the door and saw Nico, she marched out like she didn't know he was there.<p>

"Hazel," Nico ran along side her. "I'm sorry okay? I didn't call you, and it was inconsiderate and I know it probably made you think I was hurt or captured or killed, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was gone or where I was-"

Hazel stopped to stare up at Nico, with her eyes narrowed.

"And I'm sorry I came home with a hangover - I don't even know why I did that - and I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry I was rude when I got back instead of just saying sorry to begin with, and I'm sorry."

Hazel's expression didn't budge.

Nico sighed. "I broke up with Jack last night."

Hazel's glare broke into a smile. "Apology accepted. And I'm sorry I gave you the silent treatment... even though you deserved it a little bit."

Nico grinned, "Apology accepted."

"Do you want to go to Joe's?" Hazel asked as she started walking.

"Sure! You're buying though."

"What?! Why?" Hazel demanded, jumping over a dandelion.

"Because Piper's majoring in Psychology...!" Nico said, nudging her shoulder.

"Oh! Right. Dang it," Hazel pouted. "How long was that for again?"

"One month."

"Really?" Hazel shook her head, but she was grinning slightly. "I'm fairly sure it was one week."

"It was a month and you know it!" Nico laughed.

"Fine." Hazel rolled her eyes. "So... How did Jack take it?"

Nico's smile faded, and he cleared his throat. "Um, I think I beat him to the punch... If... You know..."

"Oh, Nico." Hazel hugged Nico from the side as they walked. "I'm sorry."

"You were right, he was a jerk," Nico said, wrapping his arm around her.

"That probably doesn't make it hurt any less though, huh?" Hazel asked, squeezing her brother.

Nico chuckled sadly. "No."

"Yeah."

After they settled at a table, Nico with pitch black cup of coffee and Hazel with a cup of hot cocoa topped with whipped cream, Nico finally voiced the question that had been bugging him all of yesterday afternoon, night and early that morning:

"So... I heard, um, Percy isn't going to Rachel's art gallery opening this weekend... Do you know why?"

Hazel glanced up from from slurping her hot chocolate. She had a whipped cream pencil 'stache, and Nico tried not to grin.

"Um... Yeah," Hazel said shaking her head. "Uh, Percy left Camp Halfblood."

Nico pulled back his head in shock. Everyone knew Percy had 'retreated' to Camp Halfblood after him and Annabeth had broken up, but no one said anything about him leaving anytime soon.

"What? Where did he go?"

Hazel shrugged, staring down into her mug. "That's the thing, no one knows."

"What?!" Nico demanded. He started to get up. "We have to go-"

"Nico-" Hazel laid her hand on his, and hesitantly, Nico sat down. "I wasn't going to tell you until Friday, because... Well, you just broke up with someone, someone not that great, and I know you're probably going to fall back on your old feelings for Percy..."

Nico looked away.

"So... I know you might take this personally, but don't, because it has nothing to do with you," Hazel assured him, squeezing his hand gently.

Nico nodded carefully, bracing himself.

"Percy doesn't want anyone to know where he went," Hazel told him. "He was kind of stuck after the break up, and, I guess Annabeth finally got him out of it. He's going to college somewhere. He'll be back, but... Not any time soon."

"Oh," Nico said in a tiny voice. Hazel was right, he did feel responsible for some reason. "Okay."

"Nico, please don't blame yourself," Hazel begged. "You haven't even seen Percy in almost a year and you guys haven't even talked in probably three years! And Percy wanted to leave! Annabeth said he needs time alone, without us! Not that he wanted to get away from us-!" Hazel sighed and slumped back in her chair.

Nico smiled. She was right, it wasn't him; it was just Percy being Percy. "Thanks, Hazel."

Hazel smiled too. "You're welcome Nico."

"...You have a whipped cream mustache."

"What?! How long has it been there?!"

"Um..."

"Jerk!"

"Hey!"

* * *

><p><strong>Note<strong>:

To anyone advocating for anything as I write: I'm trying to keep the characters as close as I can to how Rick Riordan wrote them. If it appears that I'm leaning toward Percico OR Nicery, it's unintentional and DEAL WITH IT.


	6. Chapter 6: The Wedding, Part One

**Two years later...**

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride," Chiron said from his wheelchair, and Piper and Jason kissed.

Everyone went nuts, jumping out of their seats to shout and cry or cheer. Someone to Percy's right wolf-whistled. Probably Leo. Next to him Reyna smiled through her watery eyes, but she was probably clapping the hardest out of everyone.

Jason and Piper ran down the gazebo steps and then the aisle, laughing. They almost tumbled down the hill to where a limo was waiting to them.

Leo walked up the first few steps of the gazebo and held up his hands "Okay, everybody! The reception, as you probably know - unless you blind and deaf - will be just a short walk that way! So mush!" Calypso giggled from the other side of the aisle.

People started walking down the path toward the structure in the near distance. Clarisse and Chris helped Chiron down the gazebo steps.

He always thought that it would be Annabeth and him that got married first. But no, Jason the Golden Boy had taken that spot, and apparently Leo was up next. Not that Calypso knew that yet.

Percy let out a huge sigh.

Reyna patted his shoulder. "You'll get there, Percy. Maybe with Little Miss Red Dress over there."

Percy glanced at Sarah. "What, Sarah? Gods, no, we're just friends."

"Oh really?" Reyna asked.

"Yeah, _really_."

"Reyna!" Annabeth called.

"Coming Bee! I'll see you at the reception, Percy," Reyna said as she sauntered off in the direction of Annabeth's voice.

"Hey Percy!" Sarah said, stepping around the fold out chairs. "Thanks for taking me! I've never been to a wedding like this!"

"What? Outside?" Percy asked absentmindedly. Frank moved out of the way and Percy saw the son of Hades again.

He had gotten taller over the past years, not taller than Percy, but close enough that someone would have to take a measuring stick to see who's taller. He wore a sleek grey suit like the rest of the groomsmen with a pink tie, even though he was technically the ring bearer. His brown hair was messy but slicked back and had a distinctly wet look to it, like Nico had recently gone swimming. Of course it was probably just hair gel that Hazel or one of the girls forced on him, but it looked good. Some stray bangs hung in his face, too short to be tucked behind his ears.

"Percy?"

Percy jumped and looked down at Sarah.

"You haven't been listening have you?" She smiled.

"Um... No, sorry." Percy shrugged sheepishly.

"It's okay. Who were you looking at?" She almost turned to look but Percy quickly turned her shoulders back to face him.

"Hmmm. Was it that old girlfriend of yours then, Annabeth?" she guessed.

"No. Did you see that girl I was talking to? The one with the braid and the pink dress?" He pointed to Reyna walking over the Hazel and Frank and Nico.

"Uh huh," Sarah nodded.

"That's Reyna, her girlfriend."

"Oh! Feeling your masculinity challenged there?" she smirked.

"Gods no," Percy said. "If anything she's more manly than I am - That, didn't help my case did it?"

"Not in the least," Sarah laughed, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Nope." Percy sighed. "Well, she asked me if you were my girlfriend and I said-"

"Ugh, NO!" Sarah recoiled a bit. "Sorry."

"Trying to improve my masculine image there Sarah?" Percy asked sarcastically.

"Sorry, it's just that that... Ew. No offense."

"Right back at ya."

She shrugged. "I deserved that one."

"So do you want to go to the reception now? I'm starving," Percy said and started to walk away.

"You're always starving and..." Sarah grabbed his elbow and hauled him back. "Not until you tell me who you were looking at." She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned on her hip.

"Look, I..." Percy glanced around as fast as he could. "It was the guy with the brown hair, he's talking with Reyna and Annabeth."

Sarah turned her head slightly so she could look at Nico out of the corner of her eye. "Mmm, he's hot. Got a girlfriend?"

"There's my beautiful gay boyfriend!" someone shouted and Percy snapped his head to look at Nico. He didn't know Nico had a boyfr-

Rachel was looping her arm though Nico's like he was her official escort. "How about we get married next, sweetie? What do you say to a June wedding?" she yelled loudly.

Oh.

Percy could see Nico roll his eyes as he said something.

"Precisely dear! Let's run away together right now!" She swooned and Nico caught her around her waist. Her pulled her up.

"My savior!" Rachel pressed a hand to Nico's chest and Percy looked back at Sarah.

"You're not his type."

"I heard." Her shoulders slumped. "Figures, of course he's gay. Wait... Are you his type?"

Percy looked away from the gathering to the trees at the bottom of the hill. "No!" he scoffed.

Sarah stuck her tongue. "Don't deny it. I'm totally fine with it. Especially after that weird thing you had with Kenu-"

"No-! I'm not- It's not like that. We kind of used to be friends before- shit happened and I thought he hated me for a while, but it turned out he had this crush on me, and I don't know if he's over it or-"

"If you want him to be over it?" Sarah drawled with an eyebrow raised.

"What is it with people - especially_ girls_ - wanting to know about my love life?" Percy asked as he pushed past her to start walking toward the tent in the distance. "I swear, I got grilled by Piper, Hazel, Annabeth, Reyna, Calypso, and Rachel, all at different times this week! Even Jason and Frank asked! If I want to talk with people, I just get a ton of questions!"

"Maybe they just_ all know_ you're in denial."

"What?"

"Oh, nothing," Sarah said. She leaned down to scoop up her high heels and trudged down the hill alongside him.

"What could I possibly be in denial about?"

Sarah snorted. "Seriously? I don't even know you're full relationship with cheekbones over there-"

"His name is Nico."

"Really? That's hot -and I can tell you got something for him."

"Ugh,_ really_, are we _really_ having this conversation?" Percy asked, and started taking longer strides down the hill.

"What? It's not that complicated. Do you want to be the one swooning into him?" Sarah teased keeping up with Percy easily. "Or the one catching him? I don't judge."

"Sounds like you do. And yes it is complicated, and what does that even mean?"

"The swooning? Really? I thought it was obvious."

"Nope."

"Do you want me to explain it to you?"

"I would rather take a trip back to Tartarus."

"Where?"

"Um..."

* * *

><p>When Percy found his name card, he checked to make sure he wasn't sitting next to Nico. Thankfully, Piper and Jason had gotten his numerous emails and put him next to Annabeth and Sarah. He sighed in relief as he sat down.<p>

That relief lasted for the ten minutes it took for Rachel and Nico to get to their seats. Percy didn't believe for half a second that it was a coincidence that Nico was sitting directly across from him, so he would probably look up at him every five seconds, and it would only be awkward because Nico used to have a crush on him, and for no other reason whatsoever.

Percy tapped Annabeth's shoulder after Nico and Rachel sat down.

"Annabeth," he snapped.

Annabeth turned, smiling from something Reyna had just said. "Yeah Percy?"

Percy glanced behind him at Sarah and at Reyna, who both looked way too preoccupied by their silverware or the bread.

"Can I talk to you in private?" He stood, and Annabeth shrugged.

"I'll be right back Rey'."

"'Kay Bee," Reyna said.

Percy led Annabeth to the bar.

"One shot, of anything," Percy ordered, and the bartender grabbed a shot glass and a bottle of tequila.

"So what's on your mind?" Annabeth asked.

The bartender finished filling the glass and Percy immediately picked it up. He leaned his head back and gulped it down, grimacing as he set the shot glass down. "Why is Nico sitting right across from me?" The sharp alcohol settled heavily in his stomach.

"He is?" Annabeth looked back at their table. "He is. I don't know, Piper did the seating arrangements, you should ask her."

"Come on, cut the crap," Percy growled as he sat on one of the stools.

"I really don't know Percy."

"Annabeth, do you know how many times the past week people have asked me about my love life?" Percy waved the bartender back over.

Annabeth shrugged. "I have no idea."

Percy knocked back another shot. "Eighteen times. I mean, _Clarisse_ asked me. When was the last time Clarisse was even a tiny bit interested in what I did?"

"Never," Annabeth admitted.

"Exactly, so what the hell are you doing?" Percy demanded.

Annabeth shook her head. "I'm not doing anything Percy. Maybe someone else is?"

Percy scoffed. "What, like Nico?"

Annabeth frowned, shaking her head again. "I was talking about the gods or, Aphrodite, maybe your dad."

"Oh." Percy waved the bartender over again.

"Are you really going to get drunk already?" Annabeth asked, grimacing as he knocked back the second shot.

Percy shook his head, blinking hard. "Yes. I need to be at least a little bit drunk for whatever you've got planned for tonight."

"I told you, I don't have anything planned," Annabeth insisted. "Now are you done?"

"Yup. Let's go," Percy said, pushing himself off the stool.

Everyone was in their seats around their table when they got back. Reyna was arguing about something sciencey with Leo and Calypso, and as soon as Annabeth heard the debate, she joined Reyna's team.

Percy fell heavily into his chair.

"Tonight is going to blow," Percy said to Sarah.

"Hey Percy! That's what he said!" Rachel yelled, holding up her glass. "Right Nico, because of gay...?"

Nico looked at her like she needed to be institutionalized.

"Someone here, please watch The Office!" Rachel begged.

Percy looked around. "I'm on the other side of the table, how did you even hear what I said?"

Rachel shrugged. "Just guessing."

Percy chose to let it go. She was obviously trying to get hammered, and maybe it was working better for her than it was for him.

Sarah joined the sciencey debate - something with turbines? Maybe they were talking about architecture or something. Sarah had sided with the Annabeth/Reyna team, probably because they were going to win.

Percy glanced up at Nico. If he looked at just the sleek aspects of Nico, he saw Hades' genetics, with the dark eyes and thunderous expression. But sometimes, like now, he smiled and Percy saw someone else entirely. His eyes didn't look so dark, and he had a lively energy to him. It was a strange, hypnotizing combination of cunning and carefree that tugged Percy in.

_He is kind of hot_, Percy decided. But he frowned and tried to shake the thought loose from his head.

"I am a MASTER DEBATER, for your information!" Sarah pronounced next to Percy who shot up, banging his wrist against the table.

"What?!" he shrilled. His voice sounded like it had come out of a terrified ant who had voice problems. His wrist throbbed.

Leo, Calypso, Annabeth, Reyna and Sarah all stopped arguing to stare at him.

"Um... We're having a debate about the best Green Technologies of the twenty first century, Percy..." Reyna explained like he was a bomb about to explode. "And Sarah joined our team...?"

"Right, yeah sorry." Percy shook his head again. He exhaled and ran his hand through his hair.

"Okay...?" Sarah twirled her finger next to her head and pointed her thumb to Percy. He wasn't about to argue with her. "Anyway, back to Germany..."

The salads were served, and everyone demolished them. The entire wedding party had missed lunch due to an incident involving Aphrodite, Hera and floral arrangements.

"Wow Nico!" Rachel declared so the entire table could here. "You just devoured that entire thing! You know Nico, bet you could fit that entire thing in your mouth!"

Percy gulped down what was left of his water, but it didn't make him feel any better. This was a new low for Annabeth.

"What thing-? What are you talking about?" Nico demanded, all he was eating were the pecans on the greens.

Rachel waved him off and took another swig of her drink. Next to Nico, Hazel was beat red and trying to concentrate on her empty plate.

The conversations at the table awkwardly resumed and Nico turned his back to Rachel so he could talk with his sister and Frank.

Eventually the tension relaxed and Percy struck up an actual conversation with Annabeth and Reyna after they won their argument against Leo and Calypso. As Sarah started asking how Annabeth and Reyna got together, Rachel leaned all the way across the table, in front of Annabeth and Reyna who both had to lean back, to start snapping her fingers in Percy's face.

"Hey Percy!"

As Percy looked up she sat back down in her seat and called across the table. "Did I tell you about the time that Nico had to beat off three guys to get us back to our apartment? They just kept_ comin' and comin' and comin'_... It was like- Wow."

"That never happened!" Nico said, turning to everyone and opened his mouth too try and formulate an explanation, but all that came out was "I swear!"

"Oh don't be so modest Nico!" Rachel slung her arm around his neck so Nico was trapped in a partial headlock. "We should have seen this guy Percy, I mean he had those guys _down on their knees_ and just _begging_ for him to release them from that rock _hard_ grip."

It might have just been Rachel's arm was holding his neck a little too tightly and cutting off his ability to breath, but Nico's face was bright pink. He struggled to wriggle out of Rachel's arm, but she wasn't relinquishing control anytime soon. After a couple of yanks and pulls that almost snapped his neck, Nico just gave up and waited for her to end the humiliation.

"I mean I was surprised Nico could keep going that long I mean WOW. But he probably could have gone all night with the his stamina. He could have given it out AND take those guy's beating forever. But I guess they couldn't handle the experience of this _hot guy's_ moves, and eventually they just had to pass out."

Percy was sure he was going to die. He couldn't leave, for physical and anatomical reasons that were beyond his control, and he really, REALLY needed a drink. But if he asked a waiter for one, Annabeth would know this was having an affect on him, but if she thought it wasn't she might try even harder- MORE, she might make Rachel try even more.

Next to him, Sarah's laughter had gone silent and all she could manage were little gasps. She was leaning so far back in her seat and laughing so hard that Percy decided not to catch her when she keeled out of her chair. But she just kept laughing.

Leo had a giant grin on his face, shaking his head, like he had no idea what was happening but he was going to enjoy it. Frank and Calypso exchanged uncomfortable glances as Hazel tried to get Rachel to release the headlock on her brother. Annabeth and Reyna just observed with their arms casually wrapped around each other and amused expressions on their faces, like two evil geniuses.

"So anyway. WAITER!" Rachel released the son of Hades and Nico scrambled back. Rachel beckoned a tall, male waiter over. "I have two things to ask of you," she said. "First: If you were gay, would you have sex with him-" She pointed at Nico.

"RACHEL!" Nico shrieked before clapping a hand over his mouth.

At that Leo fell into the table howling with laughter, and then as he leaned back he missed his chair and tumbled to the floor. Calypso started giggling uncontrollably and next to Percy, Sarah was still cackling from the floor. Frank stared down at Leo, grinning and starting to chuckle, and with that, even Hazel cracked a smile. Annabeth and Reyna were still smiling like the evil masterminds they were, but Annabeth had a huge smile breaking her cool, controlled demeanor and Reyna had started to shake her head the ridiculousness.

The waiter looked at Nico and shrugged. "Yeah, totally."

Nico looked up to him with his eyes wide in partial terror and surprise. "What?" he squeaked.

Percy couldn't wait for the main course.

"That's what I thought!" Rachel nodded. "Two: Fill with this up." She grabbed his hand and put her glass in his palm. "Tequila. Percy you want somethin'?"

Screw it, he didn't care if Annabeth knew this was getting to him. "YES."

"You know, just bring a bottle," Rachel said, patting the waiter's arm.

The waiter grinned at Nico before walking to the bar.

"We need Rachel drunk more often!" Leo gasped between fits of laughter.

"No we do not," Nico snapped, his cheeks still flaming.

Percy looked down and clenched his jaw.

"Are you okay, Percy?" Annabeth asked him with faux concern. She squinted, looking closely to study his face, and Percy leaned back. "You look pale!"

"I'm _fine_ Annabeth," Percy growled quietly. "Can't you just drop it? Call off Rachel."

Annabeth glanced around before she leaned in and hissed: "Percy, if you don't face who you are you'll never be happy."

"Maybe the reason I'm not happy or 'facing who you think I am' is 'cause my psycho ex-girlfriend's-"

"Trying to get you to admit that you're attr-"

"Shut up!" Percy snapped under his breath before she could voice what Percy wasn't ready to hear. "Why can't you just let me handle this by myself?!"

"Because I know you won't!" Annabeth said.

"Annabeth- Just- DROP IT. Stop making this more confusing that it already is," Percy ordered. They glared at each other until the waiter came back with the bottle of tequila.

Percy clenched his jaw and turned his back on her.

As soon as the waiter filled his glass, Percy scooped it up and downed the entire thing in gulp. He slammed the glass back on the table.

"Fill 'er up," he nodded to the waiter.

Percy drank half the bottle before Rachel came around the table and stole it, but Percy was already drunk enough not to care. He felt way better. And worse. Mostly worse, but he felt the worse less than the better.

Percy shook his head.

The entrees were brought out and Rachel nearly fainted as she saw the vegetarian course: tofu sauteed in peanut sauce with assorted veggies. Sounded gross to Percy, but she was in heaven.

Sarah nudged him as she cut her chicken. "What did you say to Annabeth? She looks pretty pissed at you."

"I told her to stop buggin' me." Percy took a huge bite of his potatoes.

"How're you likin' stuffin' that meat into your mouth Nico?" Rachel asked, too loudly.

By now everyone around the table was ignoring Rachel's ramblings, just grateful that none of the other tables could hear her over the noise of the whole reception. Percy and Nico heard her though.

Nico choked and thumped his chest to stop the coughing. Percy looked down at his drink. There wasn't any left, and Rachel had her hand wrapped around the neck of the bottle of tequila.

"Wow," Rachel said. "Havin' trouble swallowin' there? You never have that problem!"

Nico sighed as he started breathing normally again and narrowed his eyes to glare at the Oracle.

Sarah tapped Percy's shoulder and he turned back to her. "Stop bugging you about what?"

Percy let out a huge, sigh like the world was back on his shoulders and he set his head on the table in front of his plate. He groaned.

"Okay, fine," Sarah said, rolling her eyes. "You don't have to tell me."

"PENIS TENT," Rachel declared, leaning back to look at the ceiling.

Nico threw up his hands. _"What does that even mean?!"_

Rachel just giggled about her tofu.

After the toasts, and Leo's weird story about eating tacos in a sewer, which made Rachel fall over laughing, Piper and Jason cut the cake (and got into a mini food fight). Everyone got a slice and returned to the table, raving about the amazing cake.

"I heard they got one of the Aphrod- Piper's siblings kids to make it," Frank said, glancing at Sarah as he almost said Aphrodite.

No way one of them did it," Leo said with his mouth full. "My money's on the Demeter Cabin."

Sarah frowned. "What does he mean, Demeter?"

Annabeth explained quickly. "We all met at a summer camp and it was the name of the cabin with the campers who really liked farming and gardening."

"Oh!" Sarah smiled. "Like the Roman myths?"

"Greek," everyone corrected automatically.

"Oh...!" Sarah nodded and went back to her cake. Annabeth and Reyna sighed with relief.

Rachel slapped Nico's chest with the back of her hand. "Hey! Wow, speakin' of the hot as hell Aphrodite Cabin: Nico there's that guy from the Aphrodite Cabin. You went out with him that one time. He's still hot and he's still single!"

"I know, Rachel. You pointed him out before the wedding." Nico tightened his shoulders and hunched over his cake. "And you were the one who set us up to begin with."

"I know but you know what they say 'bout second chances, right Percy?" Rachel bent over the table cackling like a harpy.

Percy forced himself to look confused. "Why're you ropin' _me_ into this?"

Nico just frowned at Rachel and shook his head. "No I don't, and you have had way too much alcohol."

"They only come once!"

The lights dimmed and slow, smooth dance music started.

"Ladies and gentlemen," some kid from the Apollo Cabin breathed in a weird, suave voice into the microphone. "If you'll please look to the dance floor! The happy couple will be having their first dance!"

Piper and Jason glided onto the dance floor like the perfect, annoying couple they were.

"So what's bugging you Percy?" Sarah whispered in his ear.

Percy had gotten another couple drinks in him since the meat incident so he didn't even try to lie. "I hate this."

"What?"

"This. Bein' the only one here who doesn't know what they want." Percy sighed leaned his cheek into his fist. "I'm single an' confused an' everyone keeps givin' me shit about it. And won't leave me alone!" Percy turned to glare at the back of Annabeth's head.

"Yeah, I'm cutting you off now," Sarah said, grabbing his glass and quickly drinking the rest of his drink before he could protest.

"Oh come on!" Percy whined and tried to reach for his empty glass. "It's the only thing keepin' me here."

"If you really hated it here you would have left halfway through dinner." Sarah took a drink of water.

Percy frowned. "No I gotta stay 'cause-"

"You really don't. We could leave right now. The toasts are done and we had cake. I have the keys and you're the one who's drunk. That was my first drink, and it wasn't even all the way full," she said, pointing to Percy's empty glass.

"But..." Percy looked at the drink like it had betrayed him.

"Nope. Decide right now because I'm not going to hear you bitch and moan all night," she snapped. "I would love to stay and dance, but since these are your friends I won't mind if you say you want to go."

Percy hesitated. He really didn't have a reason to stay. Annabeth was being intrusive and nosing her way into something that really wasn't anyone's business but his. Rachel just made this entire thing worse by constantly reminding him why he didn't want to be here in the first place and everyone was encouraging her. Percy looked across the table.

Nico was grinning and pointing a camera at Rachel. His smile was magnetic, Percy could feel the tug in his chest, coaxing him forward so he could-

Nico glanced up and Percy wrenched his head back to Sarah. Her eyes had softened.

"Oh."

"Oh, what?" Percy asked hastily, avoiding her gaze and frowning. He started to stand up. "I'm ready, Let's go-"

Sarah grabbed his arm and yanked him back down in his seat. "Nope."

"What?"

"I'm not taking you back to the hotel yet." Sarah smile was kind but it made Percy nervous. Sarah didn't give kind looks, she gave evil, conniving smirks that promised him hell for the next three days.

He had found the straight, mortal version of Annabeth. What was wrong with him that he was friends with sadistic females? His mom was nothing like this.

"But you just said you-"

"I know what I said Percy, and I changed my mind. I'm not taking you back until I'm done dancing. You can walk back, but it'd probably take an hour from here." She smirked. There it was, the evil twist that pissed him off because he couldn't understand why she was doing it in the least.

Percy let out a heavy exhale. "But what about the bitchin' and-"

Sarah shrugged. "I've put up with you for two years, I should be able the handle a couple hours without killing you. Come on Percy, you need to face your fears!" Then she muttered: "Or in this case, the people you're obviously terrified of."

"I am not afraid." Percy ignored the people comment and wagged a finger in her face. "If you knew what I'VE done, you'd be runnin' for the freakin' hills!"

Man he was drunk.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Because you're stories of killing giants while playing dodgeball are SO believable. We're staying. At least try to have a good time."

Percy looked at the door, wondering if the walk would be worth it.

Someone banged the table and made all of the glasses shiver. Rachel was laughing and Nico shook his head and put down his camera.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen!" The slow music stopped and the beginning of _'I Gotta Feelin' _started playing. Green disco lights and lazers swept across the reception. "Time to get yourselves onto the dance floor, 'cause tonight's going to be one hell of a ride."

A ton of the Aphrodite kids ran as fast as they could in their high heels onto the dance floor.

"See Percy!_ I gotta feelin_'-!" Sarah sang with the music.

"Really?" Percy turned at Nico's shouting voice. "He's starting with this? Original!"

Leo and Calypso ran off holding each other's hands. Frank and Hazel got up and followed. As Annabeth and Reyna pushed out their chairs, Sarah grabbed Percy's wrist and he was jerked out of his seat after her.

* * *

><p>After the song was over Percy managed to escape Sarah's reach and plop himself back in his chair. It wasn't because of the song, and it definitely was not about the fact that Nico had been hauled onto the dance floor, Percy was just exhausted. And there was no way in hell he was going to dance to <em>The YMCA<em>. Annabeth probably paid the kid to play it. And he was stumbling and everything was blurry and he needed to take his suit jacket off because when did it get so hot in here?

Percy ran his fingers through his hair.

Who was he kidding. Nico looked amazing. The gel or whatever had stopped working and his hair was swirling around his ears and his cheeks and his brown eyes that reminded Percy of the blue chocolate cake he had for his birthdays, the color of the bark on the trees where he sat and did homework in between classes, the color of his coffee in the mornings; things that Percy held onto.

Maybe it was just the alcohol talking. It probably was. He hoped it was. The base of his head was buzzing and he kept having to blink to make sure his vision didn't go double.

Percy sat there through the next five songs. He just watched Nico dancing. Nico was nothing like the confused kid who'd left him sitting on the side of a hill five years ago. He was smiling. Percy couldn't remember a time before the wedding when he was smiling. Just Bianca. He didn't have the dark presence of hatred and resentment clouding his words and his behavior. He was happy.

Percy also couldn't remember the last time he had actually talked to Nico. He was the one Percy should be talking to. Nico knew who he was, he had hated himself and been more confused than Percy was. If Nico was happy what was standing in Percy's way?

As _Come Away with Me_ came on, a lot of the people left or paired up for the slow song. Sarah walked over to him, swaying to the music.

"Hey, stick in the mud. Come Away... to dance with me, come on!" She grabbed his hand and tried to pull him out his chair, but Percy didn't move. He was still staring at Nico, dancing with his hands on Rachel's waist. Sarah followed his gaze and sighed as she saw who he was staring at again.

"What's wrong, Percy? Why can't you just let yourself be happy? You obviously like him," she demanded, collapsing into her chair. "And you better not give me some bullshit answer or I WILL lock you out of our room."

"I've only ever liked girls, Sarah," Percy said.

"So?" Sarah leaned on her hand. "Annabeth was dating boys before you wasn't she?"

"That's... I mean- I was her first boyfriend but she liked other guys before me."

"Exactly. You never know where you'll end up. So what's the big problem then?"

"I- How- I don't think I can-" Percy groaned and leaned back, covering his face with his hands. "I can't say it."

"Is it really that hard- difficult? Is it really that difficult to say?" she corrected herself quickly.

"Yes."

Sarah sighed and tilted her head, biting her tongue. She reached for her black purse and started rifling through it. "Then write it, I don't care. Here." She set a ballpoint pen and a little notebook in front of him.

Percy looked at it for a second. He didn't want to write it down. It was probably worse than saying it outloud. There would be physical evidence that he was thinking this. What if Nico saw it and figured it out?

Percy turned to Sarah and opened his mouth to speak, to tell her, but nothing would come out. He closed his mouth and opened it again, trying to get out the words. But they refused to form on his tongue.

Sarah just stared at him with her arms folded over her chest and eyebrows cocked in impatience.

The song changed to _Moves Like Jagger_ and all of the singles ran back to the dance floor, except for the two of them.

Eventually, Percy sighed and grabbed the pen. He scrawled the sentence out as fast as he could then capped the pen and put it down. He crossed his arms, hunched his shoulders and locked his eyes on the floor as Sarah grabbed the notebook.

She smacked her forehead. "Well how are you ever going to know if you're too scared to find out!?"

"Shh!" Percy glanced at the dance floor. But no one was looking.

Sarah exhaled before she continued, whispering this time. "Percy, you don't know you can't love a boy as much as a girl if you refuse to let yourself fall in love with one!"

Percy clenched his jaw.

"Want some advice Percy?"

"Why else're you here?"

She punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow! Fine!" He rubbed his shoulder.

"Stop taking this so _seriously!_ If a dude turns you on, go with it. If a girl turns you on, go with it. Whatever. You're acting like love is necessary for dating! Newsflash!_ It isn't!"_ She rolled her eyes. "Good God, it's like I'm teaching being bi as a foreign language _to deaf people_. If you like Nico just talk to him. Have sex - use protection - go out a couple of times, if you don't end up liking him big deal!"

"No- No, I can't do that to him." Percy shook his head. "That's not fair to Nico. He had a crush on me for years. If I start something, and I don't- He'd never forgive me." _I'd never forgive myself either,_ Percy thought.

"Then don't date NICO," she growled, racking her hands down her face in exasperation. Percy leaned back a bit. "You do realize there are millions of gay, bi, and pansexual men in the world?! And I know that somewhere in those millions of men there's a perfect gay guy who would love to date a smoking guy like you."

"Thanks," Percy said.

_"Don't push it,"_ Sarah snapped. "Now as penance for being completely annoying in the wake of my marvelous advice, you will dance with me for five songs - this song doesn't count - and one slow song - unless I can get that hot guy Travis to ask me."

Percy frowned. "Wait who-?"


	7. Chapter 7: The Wedding, Part Two

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Jason and Piper kissed and people stood up to cheer and applaud. Piper's dad was crying and Leo wolf-whistled from his place as best man on the aisle. Nico smiled and laughed next to him.

Mr. and Mrs. Grace turned and waved to the audience before they walked out of the gazebo and back down the aisle, into the big white limo waiting for them.

After they left, Leo stood up and shouted: "Okay, everybody! The reception, as you probably know - unless you're blind and deaf - will be just a short walk that way!" He pointed down the hill. "So mush!"

Calypso giggled from the bridesmaids.

People began collecting their purses and coats. Coach Hedge and Milly the wind spirit and assistant followed her boss, Tristan McLean, down the hill. Lacy, the formerly awkward child of Aphrodite, now world famous super model, looped her arm through her brother and Head Counselor Mitchell's arm and lead the rest of the Aphrodite Cabin away from the gazebo. Chiron carefully wheeled his wheelchair down the side, with the help Clarisse and Chris. Thalia glared at the ground with watery eyes as she hustled away, like she was denying that the marriage of her little brother would ever force the Lieutenant of Artemis to tears.

Across the aisle where the bridesmaids sat, Hazel called: "Frank, Nico!"

Frank and Nico walked to Hazel and the others also dressed in sky blue bridesmaid dresses.

Frank grinned and kissed Hazel's cheek. "I say again: you look beautiful Hazel."

"And you_ both_ look handsome in your pink ties," Hazel giggled, adjusting Frank's tie playfully. "I told you it would be perfect weather! There isn't even a cloud in the sky today."

"Yeah, but I'm still happy the reception's inside." Frank replied, kissing his girlfriend.

"It's in a tent," Hazel said, kissing Frank back.

"It's a nice tent."

Nico shook his head and grinned. "You guys head over to the reception, I have to go find Rachel."

"Okay, bye Nico!" Hazel waved and Frank smiled back as they started down the hill.

Nico turned around to sort through the other three bridesmaids.

"Was that so bad?" Reyna asked next to him, clothed in a pink groomswoman dress. She loathed that dress with all her might but as soon as Annabeth saw her in it she melted like ice cream in the microwave. Reyna was hip to hip, Annabeth, who was wearing a blue dress identical to Hazel's, except Annabeth had been the maid of honor.

"Yes!" Nico replied, smiling.

"See? And you didn't even have to talk to Percy!" Annabeth said, gesturing to where Percy was standing, talking to his plus one: a laughing, young mortal woman with light skin and a red dress. Percy was also in a groomsmen suit like Nico: dark grey to go with the pink ties, and vests over a white shirt.

Percy had grown since the last time Nico saw him; probably a year or so. His shoulders looked broader, and his natural tan he looked like he spent most of his time on the beach. But Percy wasn't going to college anywhere near the West Coast, so how he had that surfer look, Nico had no idea. His hair was still the same length it always was, and even though it looked like Percy had tried to make it stay down, it had a mind of his own. It swept over his forehead and-

Nico realized what he was doing and turned back to the two girls abruptly. He hadn't seen Percy in years, and he refused to go down the road of 'massive-crush-on-a-straight-guy' again.

"Yeah, thanks for bringing that up," Nico said sarcastically. But even that couldn't make him stop smiling today.

Annabeth rolled her eyes, knowing perfectly well that Nico could deal with Percy's new girlfriend.

"Oh, news," Reyna said. "Red-dress girl? Her name is Sarah, and she's _not_ Percy's girlfriend."

"Oh-" Annabeth started to say but she was interrupted by a overly chipper Oracle.

"There's my beautiful gay boyfriend!" Rachel exclaimed, looping her arm through Nico's. "How about we get married next sweetie? What do you say to a June wedding?"

"It IS June, Rachel." Nico rolled his eyes.

"Precisely dear! Let's run away together right now!" She swooned and for a millisecond Nico considered letting her drop, but rolled his eyes again as he caught her waist. Nico pulled her upright as she sighed: "My savior!" and pressed a hand to his chest.

"Are you drunk already?" Nico asked, confused.

Annabeth and Reyna laughed as they turned to leave.

"Nope," Rachel said, dropping the act to smile. "But let's go. I've been on Piper's case since they got engaged about that open bar."

* * *

><p>"Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll please look to the dance floor!" the DJ, one of Apollo's many sons, said into the microphone. "The happy couple will be having their first dance!"<p>

Jason had Piper's hand as he led her to the dance floor from their personal table, both of them happier than anyone had ever seen them before.

Hazel had been raving about Piper's dress to Nico and Frank separately for weeks. It had an A Line silhouette with straps that hung low on her shoulders, and it a sweetheart neckline. Apparently it was pretty simple for a wedding dress because there wasn't any fooferie like lace or a train, or what Hazel called a bustle, but it just looked like a white dress to Nico.

Nico sat with his sister to his left and Rachel to his right at the wedding party's table. Next to Rachel was Leo and his now-mortal girlfriend Calypso. On Calypso's left sat Percy's completely platonic, not-girlfriend Sarah. Next to Hazel sat Frank, Frank sat next to Reyna and Annabeth, and next to Annabeth, his head tossed back from laughter, directly across from the son of Hades was of course, Percy Jackson.

Nico couldn't believe his crummy luck. He was stuck all night, accidentally glancing up at the guy he'd had a crush on for years. This was worse than sitting next to him, and he'd talked to Piper about sitting next to Rachel, Reyna or Hazel. If he didn't know Piper was the one freaking out over table seating for weeks, he would have been sure it was Jason's fault. But he was determined not to let it ruin his night. He had a fully charged camera and four friends who were over 21, one of whom had already had five shots with Dakota and half a bottle of tequila; he was going to enjoy this. And after the past hour and a half of her slinging gay jokes his way, Rachel totally deserved anything he caught on camera.

After Mr. McLean had gone up to dance with his daughter, Nico turned on the camera and clicked the button to start recording.

"So Rachel, how's the wedding thus far?" he asked, a huge grin on his face.

He glanced across the table and Percy looked away quickly. Weird.

"Awesome!" she slurred to the camera. "The dinner was amaaaazin'. Piper's a vegetarian, so...Wow. There was good vegetarian food. It was _good_."

"Really?"

"It was really good," she said and started laughing.

Nico glanced across the table again, and again Percy looked away quickly.

"Oh, Nico that's mean!" Hazel said behind him and Nico turned the camera on her.

"She's been embarrassing me for almost two hours, how is this worse?"

"Because-" Hazel giggled and covered her mouth with two fingers. Frank was trying so much not to smile that his eyebrows had shot up into his forehead. Leo and Calypso were starting to laugh as well. Nico turned and saw Rachel doing a mute impression of Nico, moping around and looking generally depressed.

"Ha, ha, you're an artist," Nico snarked.

"Literally!" Rachel shouted, banging her hands on the table. Nico rolled his eyes and pushed the stop button.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen!" the Apollo kid said too enthusiastically into the microphone, and the first beats to a dance song started playing. "Time to get yourselves onto the dance floor, 'cause tonight's going to be one hell of a ride."

_I gotta feelin'._

"Really?" Nico shouted over the music sarcastically. "He's starting with this? Original!"

Leo and Calypso ran hand in hand, laughing onto the dance floor flooding with primarily Aphrodite children. Everyone else followed, even Reyna and Annabeth, who usually hated dancing. Percy was yanked after his friend Sarah and he stumbled on to the dance floor.

Nico watched Percy go out of the corner of his eye. He had seen Percy drinking earlier, so he was probably a little drunk. But it was nothing compared to Rachel.

_That tonight's gonna be a good night._

_That tonight's gonna be a good night._

"Come on Nico! Don't be such a poopy pants!" Rachel laughed hysterically like she'd just made a joke. "Get it?"

_That tonight's gonna be a good good night_

"'Cause you're gay, and Jinxy's gay... And you're bein' a _poopy pants_," Rachel explained loudly.

Nico frowned and shook his head. "Who's 'Jinxy?' And, why are you making so many gay jokes tonight?" She had started with the gay boyfriend thing and escalated from there all evening, each joke getting louder and louder and more and more explicit. As she got more alcohol in her, the comments graduated from subtle innuendos like 'behind' to blatantly talking about sex to repeatedly asking about Nico's love life. They lived together so she knew his love life was going as fast as her's, and she was the virgin Oracle.

Rachel sighed and hung her head. "Never mind! And for your information." She swung head back up. "I was ordered to by Apollo THE GOD." She leaned back and made spooky gestures with her hands.

Nico looked at her glass. "You've had way too much to drink."

"Naw, I'm kiddin'," she swallowed. "Trust me, that's not it. Not the drinkin', 'cause I pro'bly 'ave... had too much. But... Can you keep a shhhhhhhcret?"

"You mean a _secret?"_ Nico over-enunciated sarcastically.

"Yeah, whateeeever." Rachel waved her hand. "Annabeth and Reyna told me to." She shrugged and tried to lean back, but she wasn't sitting properly and Nico had to catch her before she hit her head.

"Huh?"

"Sshhhhhhhhhhhhh." She looked behind her. "They told me not to tell... But it's weird you know? I dunno why... But they said they'll tell me later. So. GOSSIP!"

"Why would _they_ want you to tell gay jokes all night? You do a pretty good job all by yourself."

"I know!" Rachel proclaimed, offended. She grabbed her glass and tried to take a drink, to discover that it was empty. "Damn it! The waiters are gone! Come on."

"I think you've-"

"Nope!" Rachel grabbed his wrist and towed Nico behind her to the bar.

"Yeah! Hi!" Rachel said to the tall-drink-of-water bartender. "Can I have somethin' foreign and really strong? And then after you get the dude, somethin' with alcohol." She snickered at her own joke.

Behind her, Nico vigorously shook his head at the bartender, and the bartender nodded at him slightly.

"Sorry, miss, but I'm going to have to cut you off, but would you like a bottle of water instead?"

"Aw come on!" she whined, but she took the water.

As they walked back to their table past the vibrating dance floor, where Leo was trying unsuccessfully to break dance, making Calypso breakdown laughing. Annabeth and Reyna were dancing together rhythmically, Reyna moved to the beat and Annabeth's dancing had fluidity. Frank and Hazel were doing all of the cheesiest, most outdated dances any parent could do to embarrass their child. Sarah probably had no idea how to dance to anything but heavy metal because she headbanging slightly, but she was dancing well enough to grab the attention of one of the Stoll brothers. Percy was dancing as little as possible, mostly just shifting back and forth to the beat. He got into it for a couple of seconds, bobbing his head and smiling that annoying smile, until he realized what he was doing and reined himself in.

Nico turned his attention back to the drunk Oracle.

"So- Rachel!" Nico shouted over the lyrics. "What were you saying about Reyna and Annabeth?"

Rachel took a huge gulp of water, finishing off half of it. "What 'bout Annabeth and Reyna?"

"You were saying they asked you to make gay jokes all night!" Nico yelled.

"I was?" Rachel shouted back. "Wow. I do not remember that. I must be drunk, you should tell someone."

Nico rolled his eyes as he sat back down. "Really? How do you not remember that?"

"I dunno," Rachel slumped down in her chair. "Maybe I made it up!" Rachel eyes suddenly widened and she hit Nico's leg. "Maybe I was bein' all glowy-green and Oracle-y."

"Yeah, that wasn't it. Look, can you just _stop_ the gay jokes and comments and innuendos? I'm fine when you do it around the apartment as long as I'm the only one there. It's just really weird when you do it here. Especially in front of Percy. And Hazel. And everyone really."

"Right! That was it! Percy!" Rachel shot up. "Wait, maybe not. I dunno. Yeah, maybe Percy's not-girlfriend chickie. That's weird right? He's hot, just jump him already, Percy! Him, her, her-him. Her-him-dee-dim!"

Nico leaned over the table and covered his face in his hands. "Gods, this is going to be a long night."

"I hope so!" Rachel laughed.

Nico turned to look at the dance floor and Percy glanced away again. "Okay, I've got the feeling everyone is just a little crazy tonight," Nico said.

_I got a feelin'_

_Ooooooo hooooo_

"Wow." Rachel said, her eyes getting really wide again.

"You know when you're drunk, you say 'wow' way too much."

"When you said 'I gotta feelin' the song just ended." She smiled.

As the music to the next song started, Hazel came over and grabbed Nico's hands. Piper and Annabeth hauled the inebriated Rachel up and after them.

_Young man, there's no need to feel down._

_I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground._

"Wait, what? Hazel!" Nico tried to pull himself away but she dragged him on the dance floor and everyone cheered. They closed ranks around him and Nico was trapped.

_I said, young man, 'cause you're in a new town_

_There's no need to be unhappy._

"Really? The YMCA? Are you serious?"

_Young man, there's a place you can go._

_I said, young man, when you're short on your dough._

Jason clapped him on the back. "Come on Nico it's our wedding! Loosen up!"

Nico gave him a toothy smile.

_You can stay there, and I'm sure you will find_

_Many ways to have a good time._

"That's good enough for me!"

_It's fun to stay at the-_

* * *

><p>After <em>The YMCA<em>, Nico had to dance to_ Twist and Shout, Play That Funky Music_ - which was hysterical, because everyone kept pointing at the Apollo kid and he looked really pissed -_ Footloose_ and _Respect_. Hazel and Frank blew everyone's minds with their couple's dance for _Twist and Shout_.

_Come Away with Me_ came on and Nico almost managed to slip out of the crowd and back to his seat until Rachel clamped down on his arm and said she had to dance with someone and that someone was going to be Nico. So Nico was stuck, in one of the worst places he could be stuck: on the edge of the dance floor where he could see his chair, and where he could see the Son of Poseidon on the opposite side of the table.

Nico tried to keep his eyes trained over Rachel's head, but he kept glancing over to their table. Sarah was sitting next to Percy and they were talking. Percy kept looking up at something on the dance floor, but when Nico searched the people dancing around him, he couldn't figure out who it could be.

"Wassssssup Nico?" Rachel asked, her voic_e_ slurred. "What'ya lookin' for?"

"Um, nobody- nothing."

"Come ooooooon." She looked around. "Were you lookin' at... Aw! Piper and Jason look so cute! And Leo and Calypso! And Hazel and Frank and Reyna and-"

"Okay, I get the idea!" Nico snapped.

"Oooooo. Is someone mad cuz he's goin' stag at his buddy's wedding?" she said in a baby voice.

Nico bit the inside of his cheek and looked at the ceiling before answering. "No. I'm fine, I told you I was fine going alone."

"Hmmm," Rachel's eyes wandered around until they landed on something off to Nico's right. She grinned. "Maybe you're just feelin' some old feelin's come back with Mr. Single Sushi over there?"

"Single Sushi-?" Nico turned to look and immediately spun his head back when he realized it was Percy. Right, Single Sushi. "No, I'm over him. It's fine. It was years ago, he's straight, I'm fine with it."

Rachel grinned and tilted her chin up to Nico. "Ya know when you're lyin'... You say 'fine' a _loooooot,_" she drawled.

Nico rolled his eyes. "FINE. Yes, it's not fair that Percy is here and single like me even though he's totally straight. Totally not fair."

Rachel giggled. "'Life's not fair, I shall never be king,'" she said in a deep voice then kept giggling.

"Whatever," Nico said, shaking his head. He let go of her waist but gripped her hand tightly. "Come on, we should go back to the hotel, you're way to drunk to be here."

"Awww come on Nico!" Rachel whined as she was dragged toward the tent flap. "I'm fine! I haven't had anythin' to drink since that bartender gave the water!"

"Doesn't matter," Nico said. "You'll have one killer hangover when _I'm _the one that has to _drive_ us back to New Rome. And I don't want the radio to be set on _whine_ all the way home."

Behind them the song ended and everyone stampeded back to dance to _Moves Like Jagger_.

"Nico," Rachel said, but he ignored her as he pulled her outside into the cold night air. "_Nico_." They started across the grass as Rachel finally managed to jerk her fingers out of his hand. "NICO!"

"What!" he demanded.

She staggered a bit and Nico caught her. She shoved him off she stood up straight to purse her lips and glare at him as she attempted to put her hands on her hips, but her hands kept slipping. She teetered a little.

"Ya can't run away from Percy anymore!" she cried.

Nico sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'm taking you back to the room so you-"

Rachel held up a finger. "Nnnnope! Zip it, Coco, I know you still like 'im so sshhhhhhhhhhh. It's okay."

"I hate it when you call me Coco," Nico snapped and started down the hill to the parking lot.

"NICO DI ANGELO!"

Nico flinched and stopped.

"You gotta stop runnin' from Percy!" she staggered down the hill and stopped directly in front of him. "You've been runnin' from the truth since you fig'red you like boys. You like Percy, and you don't think he can like you back, even inna straight way. Hmm?"

Nico didn't speak, but it was enough of an admission as screaming yes to the night.

"Thought so. You're-" She poked him in the chest. "-not leavin' 'til you talk and make nice with Percy. Comprende?"

The son of Hades narrowed his eyes at the Oracle of Apollo. "What's stopping me from just shadow traveling back to the hotel room and leaving you here?"

Rachel gave him a Cheshire grin. "I'll paint your t-shirts rainbow for a year this time."

"Shit." He was trapped and he really didn't have a way out. Last time he had looked like a hippy for a month, there was no way he could handle a year. "FINE, let's go back."

* * *

><p>Heeeeey... I'm back internet, don't kill me for not calling. (please) anyway, I have to thank someone who messaged me a year ago about how much they love me (not hard I imagine (jk)), but thank you to 77mn77 for getting me off my ass!<p> 


	8. Chapter 8: All the Single Ladies!

All this preluded Nico and Percy ending up nose to nose after being shoved or hauled onto the dance floor by their so-called friends.

Sarah laughed and let go of Percy's hand, skipping off to the other singles to dance with Travis Stoll. Rachel and Hazel were laughing behind Nico.

Percy couldn't breathe. Nico was close enough so that if he wanted to he could close the inches between them in a second. His lips looked soft. His brown eyes were so close and so wide he could see his pupils expand. He could just reach out and touch him.

Nico wanted very much to inhale, but something was clogging his throat. He was closer to Percy than he had been in... Ever. Right? This closeness wasn't making thinking any easier. In fact, it was making it oh, so much worse. He had never seen Percy's eyes so closely before. They weren't just green, they had hints of blue swirled in them, like the paint Rachel left lying around.

They both swallowed but still couldn't move an inch. Above them, _Single Ladies _was playing, and Aphrodite girls were screaming the words in their ears, but they didn't move a muscle.

_...Cause another brother noticed me _

_I'm up on him, he up on me _

_don't pay him any attention... _

As soon as they realized the implication of the song, both of them remembered that breathing required inhaling and they took a step back, looking away. Percy coughed and Nico ran a hand through his hair, blushing and clenching his jaw.

Behind Nico, Annabeth had her arms crossed and was studying Percy like he was a bug in a jar. Percy'd never hated that analytic gaze so much.

Behind Percy, Jason was leaning up against a table, staring at the pair as he sipped a glass of wine. He was smirking. Nico had never wanted to punch Jason's face in more than right now.

"Uh, hey, sorry um- Sarah- pushed me I didn't-" Percy stammered.

Nico nodded and squeaked: "Um, yeah, Rachel and Hazel both- pushed me - too."

"Right. Yeah. So. Um..."

"See you around...?" Nico eyes flitted up to Percy then away.

"Yeah, see you around."

Nico nodded again and walked passed Percy.

Percy made a beeline for the bar.

* * *

><p>Percy went straight for the bar, but Reyna beat him to it.<p>

"Henry, don't give this man anything. He has been cut off already, and we don't want him drinking."

"You got it Reyna," the man said.

"Seriously?" Percy glared at her. "After you two psycho lesbians have been screwing with me all night? Just let me have the fucking drink!" Percy cringed after the words left his mouth.

The bartender inhaled sharply, making a pained face and glancing back between the two of them.

She pursed her lips and smiled coolly. Reyna held up and finger. "I'm not going to take offense to that because A: You're drunk, B: You don't mean it and are obviously projecting your insecurities upon someone who has their life and sexuality figured out, and C: You're going to apologize right now before I kick your ass." She added a finger for each letter.

Reyna was right. Percy felt like a total piece of shit. "I'm sorry Reyna! I swear I don't know where that came from."

Reyna just shrugged. "Like I said: projecting."

"I don't know, or care what that means," Percy informed her. Before Reyna could stop him, Percy reached over the counter and grabbed a bottle of something and backed up quickly.

Reyna just rolled her eyes and strode after him. "This is rather immature, don't you think Percy?

"Well, you know what they say about desperate times," Percy shrugged as he picked up speed.

Reyna stopped. "Fine. Take it. But you're going to need another ride home. And once I talk to Sarah, probably another room to stay in tonight. You'll be vomiting alone!"

"I'll take my chances in the hallway." Percy grinned triumphantly as he turned to escape outside the tent.

* * *

><p>Nico nodded at Percy again and kept his burning cheeks down as strode past their table. His shoulders were hunched and his hands were balled into fists in his pant pockets. Rachel and Hazel got to their feet.<p>

"Nico!" Rachel called after him.

Nico ignored them and walked faster. He was seriously considering shadow traveling to New Rome, screw Rachel and whatever she would do to his damn t-shirts.

"Nico!" Hazel touched his shoulder and Nico shrugged her off. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?!" Nico fumed as he headed for the tent exit. "I really don't know! It's like everyone wants to humiliate me in front of Percy tonight, most of all my best friends and my sister!"

"Nico-!" Hazel started but Nico waved her off.

"No, not right now guys, I can't deal with this. Just- I need some air." The girls stopped following him as Nico ran outside.

* * *

><p>Percy was laughing as he stepped outside. He had the bottle of rum wrapped around the neck as he gulped down several ounces of the wonderfully disgusting stuff. He loosened his noose of a tie.<p>

As he stumbled around to the steps overlooking the trees on the backside of the tent he chuckled. "Yo ho and a bottle o' rum. I'm a pirate. Percy the Pirate. Percy Jackson the Pirate. No..." Percy staggered around the corner as he trumpeted. "Perseus Jackson, the Pirate Son o' Poseidon!"

Someone sitting on the five concrete steps jerked their head in Percy's direction, and for what felt like the billionth time that night, Percy found himself looking into brown eyes that made him want to melt like the chocolate they looked like.

"Percy!"

"Nico?" Percy sighed and stumbled toward him. "Course you're 'ere. Did Annabeth send you?"

"No. I just- I needed air. Rachel and Hazel wanted to talk to me, I should-" Nico started to get up, but Percy waved his hand.

"Nah, 's okay." Percy fell on his ass on the steps next to Nico. "Ow. I got rum and it's gooood. And Annabeth would just make me talk t'ya tomorrow. Sorry for the-" Percy waved his hand to the tent. "Thing. Annabeth's been weird."

Nico sat back down, further away than he had been originally. His tie was tossed next to him carelessly and the first couple buttons of his shirt were undone. His jacket was missing but he was still wearing his vest. His hair was back to the long disheveled look like he had been running his fingers through it.

"Yeah. I'm, um, sorry too." His shoulders were hunched and he looked down as he wrung his hands nervously.

Everyone was weird. Nico still didn't know why Annabeth and Reyna had told Rachel to bother Nico with the gay jokes. Especially them, he thought that they'd be more understanding. They usually were.

"Also... Sorry for Rachel and that burglars story. That never happened and I still don't understand why Annabeth and Reyna wanted her to say that."

Percy looked at Nico over the rim of the bottle. "D'ya say Annabeth and Reyna?"

Nico looked at him with his shoulders still hunched. "Um, yes."

Percy groaned and took another gulp of rum. "Why can't people just leave me alone? It really ain't that hard. It's just like, 'Hey Percy,' then walk away. That's all it is! And you've been doin' a great job with that by the by," Percy said.

Nico hid his smile behind his bangs. "Why would Annabeth make you talk with me?" Nico asked, his shoulders less tense.

"Hmm?"

"You said Annabeth would just make you talk to me tomorrow?"

"Right!" Despite his drunken state, Percy had enough control over his mouth to lie. "Cause she thinks us not talkin' is 'unhealthy' for the group" He raised the hand that wasn't holding the bottle to do sloppy quotations. It wasn't a complete lie, Annabeth had bugged him about it even before they broke up and she found out who Nico and Percy were was supposed to be to each other.

"Yeah, Hazel and Jason have been telling me that for years," Nico said, grinning slightly.

Percy took another swig of the drink. "Mm, you want some?" Percy offered him the bottle.

Nico glanced at Percy out of the corner of his eye and shook his head. "No thanks, I've had my share of underage drinking and it wasn't quite to my liking."

"Oh! Right, you're... Nineteen? Eighteen? I always forget you and Hazel ain't the same age as the the rest of us. Sorry, I never would've even thoughta offerin' you any if I'd 'membered," Percy slurred, taking another drink.

"I'm nineteen."

"RIIIIIIGHT! Wait- When were you drinkin'?" Percy asked.

Nico picked at a fingernail nervously. "Um, a couple of years ago I had this boyfriend-"

Percy glanced away for a split second. Then he blinked hard. Why was he jealous of a boyfriend that he'd never met? This was stupid. He took another drink.

"- He- I- I got drunk to impress him. It was really dumb and Hazel wouldn't talk to me until I broke up with him."

"...Oh. Sorry 'bout that." Percy said awkwardly, because what was he supposed to say to that? He changed the subject. "So what'a ya been up to?"

"Um, Hazel and I graduated a couple weeks ago. Hazel and Frank found an apartment in New Rome and I moved in with Rachel."

Percy nodded lazily. "So you're goin' to New Rome U?"

Nico tilted his head. "Yeah, probably... For the first year at least," but it was more to himself, so he glanced up, startled when Percy asked: "Where else would ya go?"

"Um, well," Nico rubbed the back of his neck. "New Rome has pre-law, pre-med, psychology, and of course mythology and history, and their art program is great but it doesn't have a lot of-" Nico stopped. He didn't know why he was talking so much. He hadn't even told Hazel he didn't want to go to New Rome. He didn't even know if he could trust Percy. He could of course, but he hadn't talk to Percy in years... And Percy left, right? He might be different...

"Lotta what?" Percy asked, his bottle 75% empty.

"Um..." Nico's shoulders were tense again. "I haven't really told anyone..."

Percy paused swirling the rum. Nico had almost told him something personal, and he had a choice whether or not to press further and become as Nico's confedant, and then possibly have to share personal shit as well. Or Percy could just leave it alone and sit here having a casual conversation. But Percy was sick of the superficial conversations he'd been having ever since he'd gotten here. Everyone prodding him about how and what and who he was doing. He was going to junior college with no idea where his life was headed, and currently confused as hell as to who he wanted. He just wanted someone to help him figure it out, and so far everyone made it more confusing adding to the load of boys and majors and grades and jobs and life and... EVERYTHING.

Nico was actually reaching out to Percy, not interrogating him. He was offering a part of himself to Percy, a secret. He was confused too.

A smile twitched at Percy's lips. "Come on, di Angelo. Why doesn't the son of Hades want to go to New Rome with the rest of 'em heroes?" he asked looking at Nico.

Nico smiled a little. "If you promise not to tell anyone yet..."

Percy laughed. "If I even 'member what you tell me in the mornin', I swear on the river Styx I won't blab that Nico di Angelo wants to be a..."

Nico grinned. "A graphic novelist."

"A graphic novelist?" Percy nodded as he brought the bottle down from his lips. "What's that? Is it like..." He looked at Nico and Nico waited for him to finish.

"...porn?" Percy asked carefully.

Nico threw his head back and laughed. Percy smiled. He loved seeing Nico di Angelo laugh at something he said, even if it was him being an idiot.

"No! Gods no!" Nico said, still smiling. "It's like comic books, but not at all. It's a novel told through pictures that are like comics. You know, the frame by frame drawing?"

"Oh!" Percy decided to save the rest of the rum for when he inevitably said something even more stupid. "Yeah, I totally get it! But didn't ya say that New Rome's gotta art program? What's wrong with that one?"

Nico shook his head. "Nothing, it's just more focused on more 'traditional' art - Like what Rachel does - it's great for that. But they don't really grasp the more 'pop art' scene, and since I want to do that I would be kind of stuck in New Rome..."

"You know, I think I actually got what you just said!" Percy said, totally surprised. "That never happens!"

Nico smiled again. "Well way to go Jackson!"

"Woooo!" Percy shouted, throwing his fists into the air.

Nico laughed again. He had missed Percy being an idiot more than he could admit out loud. And he had never seen Percy drunk before. It was freaking hilarious.

"Why graphic novels then?" Percy asked.

"Because I love comics," Nico admitted, shrugging. "I love superheroes and their powers. But at the same time I don't like the comic books stuff, like how the girls are always dressed in stupid outfits and the skinny boys are all geniuses, guys are total Captain Americas or Green Lantern or the Flash, or stuff like that. They're just copies of the same tropes over and over again."

"AAAAWWWW! Nico the Nerd is back! I love Nico the Nerd!" Percy drawled, throwing an arm around Nico and giving him a sloppy noogie.

"How much have you had to drink?" Nico asked, smiling and blushing. He could smell the booze on Percy's breath right next to his ear.

"Too much. Tha's all I know. I'll be throwin' up for hours!"

"That's gross," Nico said, making a face. Percy hadn't taken his arm back, so Nico kept looking forward, because if he turned his head even a little to the right he would be staring into Percy's eyes and he'd be trapped.

"Yup." Percy's brain suddenly realized how close he was to Nico di Angelo, and he carefully slid his arm back to his side.

They sat in uncomfortable silence for a minute. Percy finished off the rum.

Nico needed to say something. He hated just sitting here. Normally he would never offer anyone this, but he needed something to break the silence and it was the only thing that was coming to mind so:

"Do you want to see some of my character sketches?"

Percy stopped staring at the empty bottle forlornly and looked up. "Characters? Like your own characters?"

"Yeah..." Nico said. "I asked Hazel to carry my sketchbook in her purse."

"That thing is HUGE!" Percy said, widening his arms to show what 'huge' was.

"I know!" Nico grinned, happy the tension was gone. He stood up. "I'll be right back."

"Okiday!" Percy giggled.

Nico jogged back in the tent. The dance floor was packed with vibrating and pulsating bodies. Everyone shouted the chorus:

You had me shaking and you

Shook me all night long

There was hardly anyone sitting at the tables and there was no one around Hazel's seat. Nico crept over as quickly as he could. Her thick dark purplish pinkish purse took over her whole seat. His sketchbook was sticking out. He grabbed it and was about the sneak back out when he saw a sealed water bottle on the table. On an impulse he took it for Percy.

As he pushed back the tent, he heard Percy singing sloppily. "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!" Percy raised his empty glass and laughed.

"You' a pirate now Percy?" Nico teased as he plopped down next to Percy, shoving the water bottle into Percy's chest.

"Yup!" Percy grabbed the water bottle. "What's this?"

"It's water." Nico said. "If you drink water now you're hangover won't be as bad."

"OOooh." Percy unscrewed the cap. "GOT it. So where're the sketches?"

"Here," Nico said, flipping it open and revealing the wooden black pencil inside the cover. He flicked through the book until he got the page with Piero on it.

"Who's that?" Percy asked.

"This is Piero," Nico introduced. Piero was tall looking with a ferocious look on his face like someone had stolen money from him. He was wearing a bulky trench coat over skinny jeans and a loose white t-shirt. He had combat boots on, and a mean looking sword in his hand with sharp angles like teeth.

"He's the main character..."


	9. Chapter 9: Hell of a Hangover

The red five on the digital clock flicked to six.

He squinted. Eight, three and six. Eight... 8:36am. His jaw hung open just barely, and his spit had started to fall out of his mouth onto the white sheets.

He tried to open his eyes more but he light felt like daggers digging into his pupils and his closed his eyes. It felt like seven grumpy dwarves were using pickaxes on the inside of his brain, trying to get out. His mouth tasked like a poison apple too. Probably worse.

He groaned and groped for a blanket. There wasn't one. Percy sighed and looked down. He'd fallen asleep on the covers, so he would have to get up in order to get under the blankets. Not worth it.

He was still in his clothes, and his belt buckle was digging into his hip.

Percy rolled over to look back at the clock and the nightstand. His eyelids were heavy, as they started to droop shut, but he made out a ripped piece of paper set next to the clock. His brain wasn't totally working, but he managed to read the dark letters at the top of the page.

**Percy's Life Plan**

Percy jerked and tried to open his eyes all the way before his body decided to punish him for opening his eyes and moving at all by making everything throb painfully even more. He squinted at the paper, as he slowly swung one leg off the bed and made the other one follow it, pushing his torso and pulsating brain along with it. He felt for the paper blindly until he felt something smooth under his fingers and grabbed it. Bringing the paper right under his nose so he could see it, clearly, he read as fast as he could manage.

**Percy's Life Plan:**

Decide what to do _- Ask Piper_

stuff he could do:

Protect ocean, _how?_

FBI _(can't shoot a barn with a bazooka)_

EPA _(Environmental Protection Agency, you idiot)_

Just go kill evil people with a sword _(NO.)_

Get out of school

Get his stuff shit together _- What?_

Job

Kids- 10 or 20 3 to 4

"What?" Percy groaned. He didn't remember any of this. This definitely wasn't his handwriting, it was too loopy, too nice. Who even had handwriting like this? It hurt his head to read.

"Finally, you're up," a voice said, and Percy looked up.

He was in the hotel, but it wasn't his hotel room. Didn't Reyna want to lock him out of his? The beds were facing a different direction, and the one across from him had the covers thrown to the side, and was all tangled up. And last time he checked, Sarah's suitcase was red and his suitcase was been blue, not black or covered in enough pink flowers to make him want to throw up. Also, his room didn't have Nico di Angelo standing in the bathroom door in low black jeans without a shirt, drying his hair.

"Uh, yeah," Percy managed. Nico didn't look like he had any hair on his chest. His skin rippled smoothly over easily concealed, but not to be underestimated, muscles. His skin hadn't seen sun in a long time, but it wasn't translucent, it was a healthy pink, probably from the hot shower.

Percy's made his head turn back the piece of paper before Nico realized Percy was checking him out.

"What's this?" he asked, running his thumb over the creases in the paper.

"Your life plan..." Nico said, like it should be obvious. Course it never was for Percy, and being hungover didn't help much.

"Um, what?" Percy asked again. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Nico pulled his t-shirt over his head.

"Your life plan," Nico repeated. He grinned. "Too drunk to remember?"

Honestly, Nico's reaction surprised Percy a bit. Shouldn't Nico be pissed or at least annoyed that he didn't remember anything after... Did he meet some guy named Peter...? Nico was acting weird, since when did he smile at Percy?

"Yeah." Percy looked back at the paper. It was too small to be from a binder or something, and there wasn't any lines on it. "Is this- from your sketch book?"

The bed bounced as Nico sat down next to Percy, rubbing the back of his neck with a towel. "Yup. I ripped it out and put it there after you kind of passed out, so you wouldn't forget it."

"Oh." Percy read down the list again. "You wrote this?"

Nico threw the towel toward the bathroom and focused on the paper instead of Percy. "I just wrote down what you were saying."

Percy snorted and held up the paper. "'Environmental Protection Agency, you idiot?'"

Nico grinned and chuckled. "Okay, with some notes."

Percy huffed. "When did we write this? I just remember... Peter... Pedro... Piero?"

"Yeah," Nico said, smiling as he sat back on his hands. "And I was telling you about my story..."

* * *

><p>The story was about a group of heroes that have to save the world - obviously - but they were on the side of the devil, who wasn't a bad guy. They had to stop someone who wanted to free all of the souls in the underworld.<p>

Nico said that was the super simple version of it, and it was really complicated, but it sounded cool to Percy.

There were five main characters, three boys, two girls. Piero the main character was gay, and he had a crush on one of the guys, named Neil, but he didn't know, and Piero didn't want him to know because Piero's family was pretty homophobic, so he pretends to like one of the girls, Mary-Anne, even though she knows he's gay and thinks he should just tell Neil.

"Anyway, I'm not sure how it's going to end yet, but I'm pretty sure someone has to die to kill the villain, but I haven't decided who," Nico finished. He closed the sketchbook and tapped the cover with his pen nervously.

"I hope ya don' kill Pedro or Neil. They sound cool, and Neil totally likes Pedro back," Percy slurred, a huge grin on his face.

Nico glanced to Percy. "Piero. And you think so?"

"Yup yup yup! I mean, you were talkin' 'bout how Peiro saved Neil and then Neil saved Peiro from the... What?"

"Dragon...?" Nico supplied for him.

"Yeah, dragon. And Neil was like, 'Don't do that again!' but he was totally sayin' 'Don't get yourself killed saving me, because I can't live without you.' Right? He totally likes him."

Nico rubbed his thumb over the black cardboard and smiled. "Um, yeah. Maybe." He hated the flutter in his chest when Percy said that.

They could hear the reception going on behind them. They had probably been out here for an hour by now. Below them after several hundred feet and down the grassy hill was the parking lot, and after that a small forest or large grove of trees sat. Above the trees rose the mountains that enclosed the wine country, with a big yellow moon dangling in the stars.

Percy smiled and closed his eyes. The silence was nice, just sitting next to someone and knowing they're there, but not feeling constantly plagued with needing to find something new to talk about. The song floated out to them on the night air, and Percy realized it was _Brown Eyed Girl_, and suddenly, sitting in silence next to Nico made his skin crawl, and he said the first thing that popped into his head, but Nico seemed to have the same idea.

"So you-"

"So Percy-"

They both stopped.

"You can go first," Percy said quickly.

"No-" Nico practically choked. "No, you go first."

"Oh, 'kay. So, Mary-Anne is Jason, right?" Percy asked.

Nico smiled and laughed. "Yeah, but don't tell him that. He'll kill me. Or at least get very angry and threaten to before storming away in a big fat huff."

Percy started laughing too.

"Yeah. I bet he'll figure it out once ya get published and he reads it. Be prepared to run di Angelo."

Nico turned to him, suddenly clutching his sketchbook. "Huh?"

"I said 'be prepared to run...? Cause either he figures it out or-"

"No. Not that. Once I get published?"

Percy looked at him. "Once ya get published, right? I mean those characters can't just stay in a sketchbook forever. And they seem like an awesome first book."

Nico opened the book to the picture of Neil. He hadn't shown this drawing to Percy. He'd said he couldn't really draw him yet, because whenever he did, he kept drawing a picture of Percy facing off against the manticore. Percy didn't look like the drawing so much anymore but anyone who knew Percy would see the resemblance easily.

"Yeah. I guess I can't keep it hidden forever," Nico whispered. He closed the book quickly.

Percy looked down. The empty water bottle was turned on its side at his feet. He didn't feel that drunk anymore, but he was sure he would fall over if he stood up. He felt like his blood was boiling, and no one was turning off the damn stove.

"Do ya want to know why I left, Nico?!" Percy demanded

Nico stared at him. "Um, sure-?"

"I left 'cause I was sick of bein' the hero and all the pressure to be perfect or know exactly what I want or who I want or who I should be with. I was done with all the pressure to turn out even 'greater' than I was. Can't a guy just get drunk without everyone thinkin', 'Remember what a hero he used to be?'"

"Okay?"

"And now, all I'm gettin' from my best friends is pressure to be somethin' I ain't ready to be, a mortal friend who can even see right through me and no one'll even listen to me!"

Percy fell back against the concrete. He pressed his palms to his face and groaned.

Nico just looked at him for a minute, trying to remember everything Percy had just said. 'Who I want or who I should be with...' He must have meant that dream. As much as he would want to deny it, Nico was dying to know who Percy saw. If he knew he could just squash the little evil part of him that hoped it was himself. The part that ached to comfort Percy right now. The part that thought it was possible that Annabeth and Reyna were actually trying to get Percy to admit he might like men.

To his right, Percy sighed. "Maybe I just need to disappear again. I don't know. I just- I dunno."

Without thinking, Nico spoke: "Speaking from experience: you'll just get the same problems wherever you go until you face them. It took me years to admit what I felt... for you." He swallowed, but kept going. "I did everything I could to make sure no one would ever find out, that I wouldn't have to face you. But you turned up in my dreams no matter where I went and you appeared at Camp Jupiter, the last place you should be. And then I was forced to tell Jason... And I knew I would never be able to get away unless I really ran. But when I got away from Jason, Reyna figured it out. I couldn't get away. Until they told me to just face them. And when I did I stopped feeling like something was wrong with me. I realized people were actually trying to help me and not attack me. It may sound hard to stop running, but at least think about it."

Percy sat up, leaning back on his hands. "Yeah. I guess. It's not that I'm runnin' from everythin'... I just don't know what to do. I mean when I go to college - I'm in a JC right now - and I've just been gettin' English and Math classes outta the way. But I need to start gettin' my life goin' somewhere, and my best friend can't hold up a conversation without changin' the subject to how I just needa 'face my fears.'"

Nico was silent for a while. Just blinking and soaking up Percy's words. He knew exactly what he meant. He was about to start college, in New Rome, and even though he had told everyone he was going in as an art major, he was still freaking out inside because he had finally told someone he didn't want to go to New Rome. What would Hazel think? He didn't think she would care, but he was was going to miss going to the same school as her.

Hazel knew exactly what she was going to do. She wanted to be an equestrian veterinarian, and she wanted to have a farm with some horses. She wanted a big traditional wedding with Frank. Frank wanted to be a military historian and was actually working with Annabeth's dad as intern. Frank had been bugging Nico for weeks to help him figure out how to propose to her and Nico kept telling him he should wait until she graduates from college. Nico thought Frank should let her have a normal college experience first. Then they should live together for a while, THEN he should propose. Then marriage, two kids, big house, whatever.

Maybe he was just jealous. Frank had accused him of being jealous of them awhile ago, after Nico had told him he shouldn't propose to Hazel just yet. He hadn't been on a decent date in... Ever. He just seemed to hate everyone except his friends. It was like everyone just cared about superficial things and he couldn't remember the last time he'd had a conversation on a date where he actually just relaxed. He just hated that he wanted to fall in love like everyone else seemed to do so fucking easily.

But when he really thought about it, he wasn't even sure that if he wanted marriage and kids, or if they were even a possibility.

"Yeah, I get that." He was laying on his back again with his eyes were closed.

"Wait, did I just say all of that aloud?"

"Yeah, you've been talkin' for like-" Percy check the invisible watch on his wrist. "Ten minutes."

"Oh my gods." Nico planted his head in his hands.

Percy laughed. "It's mmkay. Ya didn't say anythin' too embarrassin'."

Nico laughed nervously and accidently snorted. He froze.

Percy opened an eye. "Did you just snort?"

"NO." Nico looked away, scratching the back of his neck and hunching his shoulders.

"You did!" Percy laughed, kicking his feet up in the air as he howled.

"Gee thanks." Nico blushed and smiled over at the cackling son of Poseidon.

Nico waited for Percy to stop laughing, and finally to get his breath back. And as he did, something dawned on him.

"Wait, you're not sure if you want to get married and have kids?" Nico asked.

Percy stopped heaving and glanced up. "Um. No. Yes. N- I dunno." He sighed and raked his hands down his face. "Gods. This was just sooooo much easier when I was with Annabeth. I just didn't care about this shtuff."

Nico looked away, trying to push down the ball welling up in his throat. Percy was drunk, he probably didn't even realize what he was saying.

"You know Percy," Nico said. "Even if you ask Annabeth's advice on this, I don't think she would know what to tell you."

Percy sat up. "What do ya mean?"

I mean Annabeth's wanted nothing except to be an architect her whole life. She's already on the fast track to becoming a great one, so how could she understand your confusion?"

"Huh, I guess I didn't thinka that."

"Almost everyone has their stuff figured out, but Piper changed majors for a while, maybe you could talk to her."

"Yeah, that's a good idea!" Percy sat up the rest of the way. He was smiling that really cute lopsided smile. "Now if I could just figure out everythin' else."

Nico smiled. "Why don't we just do it right now?" Nico opened his sketchbook to a black page and took the pen out of spiral metal. He read as he wrote: "'Percy's life plan.' Okay first, decide what you want to do. And you should ask Piper for help..."

* * *

><p>"After that you came up with the rest of these things, we talked some more and we went back inside. Also you had a lot more to drink, and almost got into a fight with Travis Stoll." Nico smiled and shook his head. "I guess he and Sarah really hit it off. Then I dragged you back here and you passed out. Rachel never actually came back, but Hazel and Frank said they'd make sure she was fine." Nico took his phone out of his pocket, and started texting.<p>

"Wow, I don't remember any of that." Percy said. "Man I gotta start drinking less at parties. Last time I drank this much I ended up-" He clamped his mouth shut and Nico glanced up from his text. "Nevermind."

"Anyway, do you need to take a shower?" As Nico stuck his phone back in his pocket, then got up and stretched. Percy could see a sliver of his pelvis as his black t-shirt rode up. "I'm going to see if I can go find Rachel. I have to work tomorrow and we should hit the road soon."

"Um, yeah. A shower sounds great," Percy said.

Nico's phone vibrated. "Great! I'll be back later, Rachel's in your room." Nico said as he headed out the door.

"Uh, okay?"

Nico rolled his eyes and flashed Percy a smile before he closed the door.

Percy looked down at the list.

"What the hell happened last night?"

Suddenly something lurched in Percy's stomach and he ran to the bathroom.

* * *

><p>Moral of the story is don't get drunk at weddings kids!<p>

Comments make me love ya'lls!


	10. Chapter 10: What happened last night

As the door to his room closed Nico smiled to himself. He turned into the hall and headed for Room 118.

Last night was the first time he'd been able to talk to Percy, and they'd seemed to connect really well. They had talked for hours. Percy was just like Nico, and if Percy Jackson didn't have his life figured out Nico had nothing to worry about it.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, and Nico flipped it open. It looked like it was 20 years old but it was the only model Leo and Annabeth had managed to convert to Celestial Bronze.

**Reyna**: Hey. took off + we have ur camera. check facebook!

Nico smiled. His camera had gone missing in the middle of the party, and if Reyna had posted something on Facebook, it had to be good.

When he got to the room, he had to knock on the door a few times before Rachel started swearing.

"Nico get the damn door!"

"Rachel, for the last fucking time, I'm not Nico," someone said as they opened the door.

Connor Stoll stood in the doorway in his neon orange jeans and suspenders from last night, his shirt untucked.

"Oh, hey Nico! Please tell me you're here to take her back."

Nico frowned. "Uh, hey Connor. This isn't your room right?"

"No... I think it's Percy's and that girl's room?

"Yeah, Sarah. Where is she?"

Connor rolled his eyes. "Travis kicked me out of our room so they could hump like Zeus when Hera's gone."

Nico grinned. "Really?"

Conner grinned too, but with a bit of impishness behind it. "Yeah. I can't wait until Percy finds out."

"I'll be there to see that." Nico laughed.

There was a retching noise and something hit water. Weak coughing followed.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh," Rachel groaned.

Connor made a face. "Want to grab breakfast?"

"Yeah, let's go."

* * *

><p>"So I saw you drag Percy out last night," Connor said after he had eaten all the pancakes and bacon the place had. "I thought he was straight." He smiled at Nico and eyed the potatoes and eggs on Nico's plate.<p>

Nico rolled his eyes and pushed his food to Connor.

"He is. He got really drunk and managed to piss off Reyna, so he just needed somewhere to pass out."

"Yeah, more like someone to pass out **on**," Connor said, grinning around the eggs.

And that's exactly when Leo had to show up.

"Hey Nico you stud! Percy and you hooked up?" He laughed clapping him on the back. "Nice!

Connor pointed at Leo. "I knew it!" he shouted, some of his eggs falling out of his stuffed mouth.

Nico dropped his head into his hands. "Gods guys! Percy's straight!"

"Oh, come on Nico! Spill!" Connor said.

"Nothing happened!"

"Leo, he said nothing happened, do you think he'd lie?" Frank said behind Nico. He was holding a plate filled with potatoes and jellied toast.

Leo glared at Nico from across the table as Frank sat down to Nico's left.

"Fine!" Leo whined, throwing up his hands. "Did _anyone_ do something stupid last night?!"

Nico snorted. "Ask Travis about that. I'm gonna get Rachel."

* * *

><p>It took Nico twenty minutes to get Rachel to their room, and as soon as they got there she bolted for the bathroom.<p>

Nico looked around. Percy wasn't there anymore, but there was a note on the nightstand. The handwriting was terrible and Nico had trouble with a few words.

Hey Nico, had to leave, late for the flight. Great talking to you. IM me sometime, - Percy.

Nico smiled. He hated to admit it, but Rachel was right when she said he'd needed to stop avoiding Percy. Everything seemed better, especially after he'd found out about Percy's second half.

* * *

><p><strong>Last Night...<strong>

Percy looked up at the stars. "...But she saw Reyna. So I guess this is how it's supposed to be."

Nico started up, the perfect segway into what he wanted to know. "If she really saw Reyna, who did you see Percy?"

The man to his right froze. Percy glanced at Nico out of the corner of his eye, but turned until he was facing Nico.

Nico swallowed. Percy was actually looking at him. Not avoiding him. Holy shit.

He clenched one of his fists until the edge of a sketch tore. His palms felt clammy, and his feet were turned in so his toes were overlapping.

Nico was so nervous, he knew Percy could tell. He looked away from Percy as fast as he could.

"It wasn't you."

Nico turned back. "What?"

"It wasn't you," Percy told Nico again, turning away and looking at his empty rum bottle.

Something inside Nico fell apart. His stomach felt too full, while his lungs screamed for air.

"Hey you want to go inside? I, uh, like this song," Percy said quickly.

Nico looked back at the tent. _Uptown Funk_ drifted out into the night. He smiled, and he felt all of the jittery feelings he had leave. He wouldn't be with Percy. All of the hopes he had fell apart and were left with a growing energy in his chest.

It wasn't meant to be, a god said it! He could move on, without any regret.

"Yeah. Let's go."

When they got in the tent, the last lines were playing to _Uptown Funk_.

"Hey look who it is! Come on guys!" Leo shouted as they got to the tables. "You missed our dance off!

"AND I _TOTES_ WON!" Rachel whooped, holding up a nearly empty bottle of gin. The dance floor cheered in agreement.

"It was a tie!" Leo protested. Calypso rolled her eyes and grabbed him by the tie, pulling him into a kiss.

The song changed, and a new beat hit their eardrums.

"I love this song!" Hazel squealed. "Come on guys!

Nico smiled and grabbed Percy's hand. "Come on Percy!"

_"Oh don't you dare look back_

_Just keep your eyes on me."_

_I said, "You're holding back, "_

_She said, "Shut up and dance with me!"_

_This woman is my destiny_

_She said, "Ooh-ooh-hoo,_

_Shut up and dance with me."_

* * *

><p>MWAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaa... ha! hah... yeh :D<br>Okay I need to explain this. If you want the explanation, I wrote one up, but I didn't want it to take up so much fucking room. I put it on my Tumblr, and NO I'm not using this as a way to get people to go to my tumblr, you can block me if you want after you read it. idc.

post/127537789498/if-you-dont-read-my-fanfic-ignore

*************If anyone is confused, PERCY SAW NICO. He is lying big time! Percy and Nico will end up together, but I am an evil, evil writer.*****************

:)

Catch you on the flippity flop!


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